Background: Climate change and human disturbance are accelerating desertification in drylands, which cover approximately 41% of the Earth's surface. Fine-scale microclimatic refuges may help buffer resident wildlife from increasing thermal and hydric stress in these ecosystems. Aim: We tested whether eco-friendly artificial shelters could replicate the microclimatic benefits provided by foundation shrubs and thereby support vertebrate abundance, richness and evenness in North American desert ecosystems. Methods: Vertebrate communities were surveyed at four desert sites in southwestern California during spring and winter seasons across two contrasting years (a dry year in 2022 and a wet year in 2023). Camera traps were used to quantify vertebrate abundance, richness and evenness. Microclimatic conditions (temperature, humidity and solar radiation) were recorded using environmental loggers placed beneath foundation shrubs (Ephedra californica and Larrea tridentata), artificial shelters (square-shaped and triangle-shaped) and open microsites. Data were analysed using generalized linear models and the Relative Interaction Index, an effect-size metric that quantifies positive, neutral or negative associations relative to open areas. Results: Eighteen vertebrate species were recorded across all sites and seasons. Vertebrate abundance, richness and evenness were consistently higher at shrubs and artificial shelters than in open areas, particularly during the dry year. In contrast, associations with open microsites increased during the cooler, wetter year. Across most sites and seasons, artificial shelters provided microclimatic conditions comparable to those of foundation shrubs, with no significant differences detected during winter. Practical Implication: Artificial shelters can function as effective, short-term conservation tools by providing microclimatic refuges that support resident vertebrate communities in degraded desert ecosystems. When strategically deployed, shelters may help mitigate biodiversity loss and enhance ecological resilience under ongoing desertification and climate change.