Local & Community
Two Week Old Puppy Thrown Out Like Trash
Another horrific case of animal abuse in Coachella surfaced over the weekend. A two week old puppy was thrown away in a dumpster, like trash. A couple of weeks ago, 53 year old Deborah Culwell allegedly tossed seven puppies in a dumpster, six of which survived. In this case, Alejandra Zazueta, who cared for the two week old puppy, couldn’t bare to see it die. So, she took it upon herself to drive over three hours, to a Sherman Oaks clinic, to get the puppy the help it needed. Due to the fact that they found the puppy on a Sunday, animal clinics in the Coachella Valley were closed.
“It was so horrible…sorry.”
Alejandra Zazueta is a witness to yet another act of animal cruelty.
“Her belly was stuck to a plastic bag and she cried a lot when I was trying to remove her from the plastic bag.”
Zazueta even says the puppy smelled like it was rotting, as the skin was starting to dry and fall off. She was seeing a two week old puppy that was abused to near-death.
“I visibly saw lacerations down her back all the way to her back legs. Her tail was cut, so her skin flap was just hanging off of her tail.”
Yet another act of animal cruelty, which leads to an obvious question: Why do these cases of animal cruelty keep happening? John Welsh, the spokesperson for Riverside County Animal Services tells NBC Palm Springs it has to do with California laws.
“As much as we are shocked and then of course saddened to see the penalties not as stiff as everyone would like to see, that’s just the reality in California. There are a lot of people harming humans and have been convicted and then released. So, that’s our world.
A testament, that laws need to change to give animals a voice.
“Without somebody witnessing it or recording it, it’s going to be one of those ones that is virtually almost impossible to prove,” Welsh added.
Proving to be an experience that Zauzeta, and the entire nation will never forget.
“My mom was like, you know what, maybe she’ll pass away. And I was like no, we can’t give up…she’s not going to die in a box or in a bag, like is she was trash. She’ll die in someone’s arms. I just don’t think it’s fair. She was just born two weeks ago and for a puppy to endure that much pain, I just don’t think it’s fair,” added Zauzeta.
Fortunately, this puppy is on the up and up.
“The last update that I got is that she is eating very well and that she has more energy. The sad part is, is that we have no update on her back legs. There is still little to no movement.”
A puppy that not only is a fighter, but one that already has a name and a home.
“Yes, Hope has a home and she has four other dogs waiting for her. And we are so happy and can’t wait to bring her home.”
Zauzeta is thankful for the clinic for helping save her new puppy, but she couldn’t have done it without the help of the community. She reached out to LA Dodgers reporter Alanna Rizzo, as a plea to help with expenses. Rizzo posted on her social media and was able to raise almost $2,000.00 which was enough to pay for the 8 hour stay at the Sherman Oaks clinic. Now, Animal Hope and Wellness has the puppy, and is helping it out free of charge. However, they feel Hope may not regain mobility in her hind legs.
If you would like to donate to Animal Hope and Wellness, click on the link below:
https://animalhopeandwellness.z2systems.com/np/clients/animalhopeandwellness/donation.jsp?campaign=5
If you would like to donate to help get Hop a wheelchair, click on the link below:
By: NBC Palm Springs
May 9, 2019
