Dozens of dogs available for adoption after rescuer passes away

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Dozens of dogs are available for adoption at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco's Mission District after the dog's rescuer passed away unexpectedly.

The final batch of dogs arrived at Muttville Monday morning.

Rescuer Marline Mortensen passed away unexpectedly last week.

"Nobody like her, there's no replacing her, she was one of a kind, she opened her home to all of these babies," said friend Amanda Hoover.

Hoover says Marline also had horses at her 10 acre home in Vacaville.

"She gave these guys a life that most people wouldn't have," explained Hoover.

Kelly McKown who is also a friend says she discovered Marline had passed away.

"Pebbles, she's the one that pulled on my dress and showed me where to find her," said McKown.

Pebbles and the other dogs are being checked out at Muttville by veterinarians before they can be adopted.

"When we reached out to Muttville and asked for help and they welcomed them with open arms it was huge," said Hoover.

Luckily foster parents were available to take home many of the dogs already at Muttville, making room for the new ones.

"These dogs are so fabulous we know we're going to find them homes really fast," said Muttville's CEO and Founder Sherri Franklin.

Franklin is encouraging pet owners to have a plan in place in case they pass away.

"Like Marline she died suddenly and if she hadn't had the friends that she had Muttville hadn't stepped up some of these dogs might have ended up in a shelter and gotten euthanized," Franklin explained.

The Adopathon is this weekend at Muttville from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 255 Alabama Street.

Information about all of the dogs available for adoption will be on their website https://muttville.org/