An Edmonton business owner has brought 60 dogs that were to be euthanized from two shelters in central California in hopes of finding them new homes in Alberta.

Jan Folk runs the website The Orange Dog, where users can purchase pet care items, share dog stories and make donations to animal charities, and is a regular donor to the Edmonton Humane Society.

She arranged the transport of the small-breed dogs from Los Angeles to Edmonton on her private Gulfstream III jet.

Half of the dogs came from the Central California SPCA while the other half are from the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority in Downey, Calif.

The dogs were to be euthanized because the U.S.shelters are overpopulated.

They arrived at the Edmonton airport around 1:30 p.m. MT, said Edmonton Humane Society spokeswoman Shawna Randolph.

Including Friday's group, about 340 dogs have been brought to Edmonton from California on five flights since a volunteer at the humane society first launched the California Canine Cuties Animal Transfer Program in 2008.

Folk became involved in the program in February 2009 and has sponsored four of the five flights.

"We are thrilled that the program has expanded and that we are able to give yet another group of adorable small-breed dogs from another fantastic California shelter a second chance here in Alberta," Randolph said in a statement.

"Also, this time, there will even be more variety of dogs instead of mostly Chihuahuas."

This latest group will be available for adoption starting Sunday.