Deborah Sue Culwell, 54, the suspect arrested for animal cruelty after surveillance footage captured her throwing seven newborn puppies into a dumpster in Coachella, California, had 38 dogs impounded from her residence on Tuesday.
Riverside County Animal Services provided BuzzFeed News with disturbing images of dogs allegedly kept at her home.
Following Culwell's arrest on Monday, animal control discovered dozens of dogs who appeared to not have been cared for properly.
"We were uncertain who would care for the dogs after she was arrested, so we were forced to impound all 38," said John Welsh, the public informations officer for Animal Services.
Animal control officers worked until past 8 p.m. Monday "because the house was overrun with other dogs," he added. "The house was in a state of despair."
(Warning: Some of the images of the dogs at the residence are disturbing.)
In a security video released on Friday, a woman authorities now say is Culwell is seen driving a white Jeep up to the dumpster of a local auto parts store. She quickly chucks a plastic bag with the puppies inside into a heap of trash.
A man named John, whom officials described as a person who is homeless, was in the area and rummaging through dumpsters shortly after. He came across the bag of puppies and brought them into the auto parts store. An employee then alerted Riverside County Animal Services.
Welsh told BuzzFeed News that had the man not discovered the puppies within a 15-minute window, "those dogs are dead," he said. "That guy is a hero in our mind."
The puppies, who were terrier mixes and were approximately 3 days old, were transported to a local rescue group, where they're being bottle-fed.
Culwell was transported to a jail in Indio, California. She currently faces up to seven felony counts of animal cruelty.
All 38 dogs found at her residence appeared to be in "somewhat healthy condition," the organization noted in a press release, and have been taken to Coachella Valley Animal Campus.
The animal services agency suspects the mother of the seven puppies who were dumped may be among the 38 impounded dogs. "Animal Services will determine whether a reunion can be coordinated," the press release said.
Unfortunately, the dogs are not available for adoption at this time since they are considered "confiscated animals."
