It is no secret that living in the rural areas of Yucaipa lend residents and their pets to continual interaction with the local wildlife.  As spring has sprung, so have our serpent friends.  The warmer weather brings out a very dangerous slithering foe, the rattlesnake.  The venom of the rattler can impose devastating if not deadly results to people and pets alike if bitten. 

In an effort to decrease the risk Yucaipa Animal Placement Society, YAPS, has joined Enlighten Dogs Training in offering training for rattle snake avoidance techniques to dogs and their people.  Join Elicia & Chris Ashton of Enlighten Dogs and professional rattlesnake avoidance training company, Snakeworx, for outdoor interactive aversion session with the dogs to insure that both you and your pet are snake smart.  The training is scheduled for Thursday, March 26th and Friday, March 27th and cost is $75 per dog. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to YAPS. Appointments are available from 10am - 8pm. To register for the training please call YAPS (909) 790-1440.

Homeward Bound - Mega Pet Adoption

Saturday, May 16th & Sunday, May 17th

Enjoy a pet fun filled weekend at the second annual Homeward Bound Mega Pet Adoption Event, this two day pet event is scheduled for the weekend of May 16th & 17th at the Rick McCowan Complex, which is directly adjacent to the Yucaipa Regional Park.  Homeward Bound-Mega Pet Adoption Event activities will begin at 10 am and end at 4 pm both days, and the entire affair is FREE to the public. 

At Homeward Bound attendees will be able to browse hundreds of adoptable pets from the many rescue groups and shelter in attendance, receive free veterinarian assessments for the pet’s they adopt, and obtain wellness vaccines and microchips for their existing pets at low costs.  Fun for the entire family, the event also boasts other activities such as training demonstrations, a variety of pet focused vendors, as well as variety of food vendors.

The Homeward Bound – Mega Pet Adoption Event is collaboration between San Bernardino County, the Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley (HSSBV), the Yucaipa Animal Placement Society (YAPS), the Animals aRe First Fund (ARFF), and the County Regional Parks Department.

 YAPS SELECTS VOLUNTEER TO COMPETE IN PURINA^® CAT CHOW^® SHELTER VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR CONTEST; CHANCE TO WIN A $25,000 MAKEOVER FOR SHELTER

Click Here to Vote for Local Yucaipa Area Shelter’s Volunteer to Help Her Shelter
Win a $25,000 Makeover

Yucaipa, CA February 23^rd, 2015  – Purina Cat Chow has selected Yucaipa Animal Placement Society (YAPS) as one of 50 cat-focused shelters nationwide that it’s recognizing during its Purina Cat Chow Shelter Volunteer of the Year Contest. The Purina Cat Chow Shelter Volunteer of the Year Contest is honoring and thanking the volunteers who tirelessly care for cats as they await their forever homes and work to make their temporary shelter homes gentler, less stressful places.

Purina Cat Chow asked 50 cat-focused shelters – one in every state – to help identify and share the stories of the volunteers who clean the visiting rooms, foster cats and kittens, and spend countless hours simply petting the cats to keep them calm and happy. Each of the 50 shelters nominated one volunteer who works tirelessly to create a gentler environment for shelter cats.

From now until Sunday, March 15, YAPS is asking residents to vote for our shelter volunteer’s story at www.catchow.com, and the shelter of the winning volunteer will win a $25,000 makeover. In addition to the shelter makeover, four runners-up volunteers will each win a $5,000 donation for their shelter. Every participating shelter will receive a $1,000 donation, Purina^® Cat Chow^® Gentle Formula brand food and cat care supplies.

“The Purina Cat Chow Shelter Volunteer of the Year Contest allows us to recognize the hard work and dedication of one of our volunteers,” said YAPS Executive Director, Nicole Laffey. “Our shelter is excited and humbled to be the only shelter selected in California and now needs the community to vote for our volunteer so we can win the $25,000 makeover donation from Purina Cat Chow.”

YAPS is the only shelter from California participating in the contest. The organization plans to use the cash donation to create a gentler environment for cats.

The Purina Cat Chow Shelter Volunteer of the Year Contest will donate nearly $100,000 among the 50 participating shelters in cash donations, cat food and cat care supplies to lessen the stress for cats living in shelters while they await their forever home.

“Each year, millions of cats enter animal welfare organizations. The dedication and hard work of shelter volunteers are critical to these cats’ care,” said Sarah Johnston, Purina Cat Chow brand manager. “We want to recognize the volunteers who make sure shelter cats have a comfortable place to live, access to high-quality nutrition, and provide unconditional support while they’re waiting to be adopted.”

This contest is part of the Brand’s “Building Better Lives” program, an ongoing commitment to help improve the lives of cats through rescue, nutrition and adoption support. In three years, the Purina Cat Chow “Building Better Lives” program will donate nearly $600,000 to more than 100 local cat-focused shelters nationwide and help improve the lives of more than 86,000 cats.

To learn more about the Purina Cat Chow Shelter Volunteer of the Year Contest, visit www.catchow.com.

About Nestlé Purina PetCare

Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.

About Yucaipa Animal Placement Society

Yucaipa Valley Animal Placement Society is a no kill, nonprofit animal shelter that strives to prevent euthanasia of dogs and cats in shelters throughout the region by providing them a temporary safe haven until a permanent loving home can be found.

Media Contacts

Nicole Laffey                                                       Megan McGovern

Executive Director                                              Publicis Consultants PR

909-557-6047                                                      404-870-6852

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.                                                 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

As we start a new year, we look back on 2014 with joy. So many wonderful accomplishments including the addition of our large new office, parking lot and training field as well as finding loving homes for 545 pets. We are so grateful from the support of the community to make these dreams come true. 

We are excited for the coming year with additional programs and opportunities for YAPS to give back to the community. Our goal is to place over 600 pets into their forever homes this year. So we are reaching out to the community for donations. Monetary donations are extremely generous and help with veterinary care as well as additions to the center. However supplies are a huge necessity for our daily operations. Here is a list of items that we need:                                                                                                                    

• Bleach                                                 
• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Laundry soap
• Dish Soap
• Dry Dog Food
• Moist Dog Food
• Dry Cat Food
• Moist Cat Food
• Dry Puppy Food
• Moist Puppy Food
• Dry Kitten Food
• Moist Kitten Food (Fancy Feast)
• Cat litter (regular and scoopable)
• 45+ gallon trash bags
• 13 gallon trash bags
• Sponges/scouring pads
• Rubber gloves
• Brooms
• Standard copy paper
• Postage stamps 
• Sheet protectors
• Envelopes