Woman charged with dumping puppies in trash
LOS ANGELES — A California woman could face seven years behind bars on a slew of charges filed Tuesday after authorities say surveillance video showed her casually tossing a bag of three-dayold puppies into a trash can on a sweltering day.
Deborah Sue Culwell, 54, was charged with seven felony counts of injuring the palm-sized puppies and seven misdemeanor counts of abandoning them.
The puppies’ mother may have been among 38 dogs found inside Culwell’s home following her arrest, and authorities were determining whether a reunion would be possible.
Though most of the 38 dogs in the home appeared to be “somewhat healthy,” some were aggressive or fearful, the agency said, adding that the house was in a state of disrepair.
Video of the arrest shows Culwell being led from her home as a reporter with KNBC-TV peppers her with questions such as, “Why would you throw those puppies away like trash?” and “Do you have anything to say about your actions?”
A handcuffed Culwell remained silent as she was taken from her home in Coachella, a desert city about 130 miles east of L.A.
The five male and two female puppies, believed to be terrier mixes, survived after spending about an hour inside a plastic bag in the dumpster, which was open. A man heard them crying and took the puppies to a nearby store, where an employee called authorities.
The pups were dehydrated and malnourished and are being cared for by a volunteer who is bottle-feeding them.