44 dogs left at East Valley Animal shelter; 12 still need homes

VAN NUYS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The East Valley Animal Shelter in Van Nuys is looking to find homes for 12 little dogs who were left at the center by their owner.

The man left 44 small dogs at the shelter, but rescue volunteers worked hard to get most of the dogs adopted or taken in by rescue groups.

Shelter officials said it is likely the man was an amateur breeder who lost control of the situation because the dogs are not spayed or neutered. In Los Angeles, a person is only allowed to have three dogs and three cats.

"Really he came to us for help. This is someone who came into the shelter and said, 'I need help. I have too many dogs, and I can't keep them,'" said Jan Selder, director of operations for Los Angeles animal service.

The age of the dogs range from puppies to adults, and none of them show signs of abuse or neglect.

While the 12 dogs are available for adoption, Selder said there are plenty of other animals available for adoption as well.

"Even if it's not one of these dogs, if you can adopt another dog, a cat, a rabbit, that obviously helps the shelter," she added.

The cost of adopting an animal at a shelter in the city is $122. The East Valley Shelter on Vanowen Street is open Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.