The scene of the fire at Northwind Kennel in Bedford. 

By Ben Crnic From Daily Voice

Firefighters rescued dogs from inside a Westchester County kennel after a fire broke out early Friday morning, Dec. 12.

Crews were dispatched just after 5:45 a.m. on Friday to Northwind Kennel at 402 Old Post Rd. in Bedford, where a fire had been reported, according to the Katonah Fire Department.

Crews soon arrived on scene and immediately began efforts to fight the blaze, including roof ventilation, fire suppression, and helping with the rescue of dogs trapped inside the building. 

As the response continued, a second alarm was transmitted around 9:30 a.m., and another tanker was requested to assist at the scene. Firefighters remained at the scene for around three hours before returning to service.

No information about injuries or the cause of the fire was immediately released.

Past Animal Cruelty Charges

Northwind Kennel has been tied to criminal investigations in the past. 

As previously reported by Daily Voice last year, the founder and owner of the Rescue Right animal shelter operating at Northwind Kennels, Penny Berk, was arrested in 2024 and charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty following the deaths of several dogs in her care. 

SPCA Westchester announced in November 2024 that Berk had been charged for a second time in less than a year after two dogs—identified as Felix and Nelly—were allegedly denied veterinary care while suffering from the Distemper Virus. The dogs were later euthanized after their conditions deteriorated, according to officials. 

Berk was first arrested in July 2024 in connection with the deaths of five Bernese Mountain Dogs, which SPCA officials said were also suffering from Distemper Virus and were allegedly denied medical treatment. In total, she was charged with seven counts of animal cruelty related to those incidents.

SPCA officials previously said Berk could not produce records showing the dogs had received veterinary care. At the time, they described the animals as having been neglected “for too long.”