Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more!
Woman Allegedly Caught Dumping Bag Of 7 Newborn Puppies In Coachella
A Good Samaritan found the 3-day old pups and alerted Animal Services, who later tracked down the alleged culprit, Deborah Culwell.
A woman is accused of tossing a bag containing seven newborn puppies by a Southern California dumpster before driving off.
Deborah Culwell, 54, was arrested on Monday at her home in Coachella, CBS Los Angeles reports. She’s now under investigation for animal cruelty.
A person spotted the puppies next to a dumpster on Thursday behind a Napa Auto Parts store. An employee at the store called Animal Services who collected the puppies, believed to be 3-day-old terrier mixes, Riverside County Animal Services said in a press release.
Surveillance footage from the auto parts store shows a woman, allegedly Culwell pull up to a set of dumpsters carrying a plastic bag, toss it into the trash and drive away.
The person who noticed the bag is being called a Good Samaritan. If not for his actions, “the puppies may not have survived much longer,” Riverside County Animal Services said.
Animal Services’ veterinary team members and a rescue group partner organization cared for the puppies until MeoowzResQ, an animal rescue and fostering organization in the area, agreed to take them.
“The Good Samaritan played a major role in saving theses puppies’ lives,” Comm. Chris Mayer said in that release. “His actions were humane and heroic.”
Meanwhile, he called Culwell’s alleged actions despicable.
“There is no excuse for dumping puppies,” Mayer said. “Especially in today’s age when we or other shelters would be willing to get these animals to foster parents or rescue partners. This was a shameful act.”
It’s not clear if Culwell has a lawyer who can speak on her behalf. She faces up to seven counts of felony animal cruelty.
