Hoarded CA dogs await rescue groups

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LOS ANGELES (AP) ? More than 130 dogs saved from a hoarder in California two weeks ago need to be saved again ? but only rescue groups can save them now.

The dogs were seized from Rainbow's End Animal Sanctuary in Apple Valley on June 18, where they had been living in one large pack for years without proper food, medical care or human interaction, San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control officials said.

Some dogs had to be euthanized for health reasons. The rest can only be released to rescue groups because of the costly and extensive medical care and behavior work they need. For the same reason, most rescue groups may only be able to take one or two dogs, said Doug Smith, the supervising animal control officer at the Devore Animal Shelter, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.

Any nonprofit rescue group in the country with the proper credentials can save a dog, Smith said. The rescue groups will have to provide transportation for the dogs too.

The dogs are all at Devore now, but only because other shelters and pet lovers pitched in two weeks ago and adopted every available dog at the shelter to make room.

Devore had to hold the hoarded dogs as evidence until Friday.

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