VANCOUVER -- Had they stayed in a Southern California shelter they'd be euthanized.
Instead, 59 dogs from the San Bernardino area are now finding homes in our area thanks to the efforts of the Oregon Friends of Shelter Animals (OFOSA) and the Humane Society of Southwest Washington.
On Sunday, OFOSA loaded dozens of dogs and puppies into an RV and drove them from San Bernadino to Vancouver. The dogs were eligible for adoption Monday at noon.
"This is the first large-scale dog rescue we've been able to do, and we hope to do many more," said Humane Society spokesperson Kate Goudschaal.
In one day, the number of dogs at the SW Washington facility more than doubled. Because the Humane Society recently moved into a much larger facility, it can take in more animals, Goudschaal said.
All the dogs were small breeds -- Chihuahuas, terriers, poodles and spaniel mixes.
Goudschaal said the rescue helped the San Bernardino City Animal Shelter, which was dealing with a massive overpopulation of small breed dogs.
"The large influx of these dogs has forced many California-based animal shelters to euthanize hundreds of dogs a week to account for the incredibly high number of animals received daily," she said.
Adoption fees range from $100-$250 dollars depending on the age and breed of the dogs. All adoptions fees include a spay/neuter surgery, current vaccinations, a microchip identification system and a free initial health exam with a local veterinarian.
