Local News in Brief : 70 Dogs From Closed Kennel in Sun Valley Find New Homes

San Fernando Valley animal activists who rallied last week to save 70 stray dogs that came from a Sun Valley kennel have saved the animals from death.

The last of the animals, which wound up in the San Bernardino city dog pound, will be placed in new homes today, city animal control officials said Friday. The officials had planned to destroy animals not claimed by 4 p.m. today.

The dogs were among 84 seized last week from the home of an elderly San Bernardino woman. A city ordinance there limits the number of dogs to three per residence.

Officials said many of the dogs apparently were taken to the woman’s home when a privately run Sun Valley kennel lost its lease and closed last December. The dogs were strays that had been rescued by Anita Less, a Woodland Hills animal activist who ran the kennel for eight years.

Cindy Martinez, San Bernardino animal shelter coordinator, said the last 32 dogs from the Sun Valley kennel are scheduled to be moved to new homes today. She said operators of the crowded shelter extended the dogs’ adoption deadline to give rescuers extra time to arrange new homes.

Regina Eshelman, an Encino bookkeeper who helped organize the rescue, said smaller groups of the animals were placed in new homes earlier in the week with the assistance of several groups.