Puppies abandoned in Coachella dumpster starting to crawl, all ‘Culwell 38’ dogs saved

Six of the puppies abandoned in a plastic bag in a Coachella dumpster in April appear to be making some major strides health-wise; in a new video sent out by the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, the dogs appear to have gained weight and are now starting to crawl.

The dogs were allegedly discarded by 54-year-old Deborah Sue Culwell on April 19. Culwell was caught on a security camera pulling up in a white Jeep Wrangler behind the NAPA Auto Parts store located at 49251 Grapefruit Boulevard in Coachella, getting out, checking one dumpster, then throwing a plastic bag in a second dumpster. A passerby rescued the dogs from the dumpster, but one later died.

Culwell was arrested on April 22 and later charged with seven felony counts of animal cruelty and seven misdemeanor counts animal abandonment.

The health progress video came courtesy of the puppies foster mom, according to John Welsh, Animal Services Chief/Media Relations & Social Media Strategist.

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The dogs have now progressed to the point of being able to eat canned dog food, in addition to the formula which they had been subsisting on up until this point.

Welsh also passed along some more paw-sitive news about the 38 dogs seized for Culwell’s property when she was arrested.

“Meanwhile, all 38 of the confiscated dogs connected to the puppy-dumping case have been saved. As many of you will recall, we seized 38 dogs at the property where the puppy-dumping suspect lived,” read the release from Animal Services. “Thanks to our rescue partner organizations, we are pleased to share that every single one of those dogs has left our shelter in Jurupa Valley. All but one of the 38 dogs were transferred to rescue partners.”

One of the “Culwell 38” was adopted by an Animal Samaritans employee.

Animal care technician Areanna Burnett says cases like this happen far too often.

“If you find any animal that…a stray…or if you can’t take care of your own animal anymore…we’ll assess them. we are on Facebook, we’re on Twitter, we’re on Instagram,” said Burnett.

Burnett says there’s always a better option than abandoning an animal.

“People will see an animal and think ‘Oh someone else will see it.’ But you don’t actually know that,” she said.

And these crimes are completely preventable. Burnett says there are plenty of free or affordable spay and neuter options to prevent unwanted litters: “The Snip Bus, Animal Action League, Animal Samaritans has low cost spay and neuters,” she said.

The animal campus in Thousand Palms says they actually have a shortage of puppies right now. Most of their kennels are usually filled. They’re urging those with unwanted pups or kittens — to drop them off for fostering.

“What would be the process for somebody interested?” asked News Channel 3’s Madison Weil.

“You would just come in, we’d give you an application to fill out, and then if the application gets approved…which is instantaneously, then I give you the kittens with all the necessary supplies,” said Burnett.