Just down the road from the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival — seven little puppies were fighting for their life.
While the 3-day-old terrier mixes should have been with their mom, they were instead tied in a plastic bag and tossed next to a dumpster of an auto parts store.
“A woman in a Jeep pulled up, exited the Jeep carrying a plastic bag in one of her hands and walked toward a dumpster used for recycling materials,” Riverside County Animal Services wrote in a press release. “She shut the recycling dumpster and dropped the clear, plastic bag next in a trash dumpster and drove away.”
While the temperature outside rose to the mid-90s, the puppies’ chances of staying alive became less of a reality.
That is, until one kind soul by the name of John noticed the bag while looking through the dumpster and brought it inside the auto store.
An animal services officer then collected the puppies and took them to the shelter’s veterinary team who was standing by.
“There is no excuse for dumping puppies,” Commander Chris Mayer said in the release. “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.”
The puppies require round-the-clock care and constant bottle feeding.
And as a city shelter could not provide that level of care for the pups, MeoowzResQ, a nonprofit organization, stepped in.
While they are dedicated to kitten and cat rescue, they wanted to lend a helping paw.
The dogs have since been placed in foster care, getting lots of love and attention.
Officials have since arrested the woman who was responsible for dumping the puppies.
Additionally, 38 dogs were found at her residence and have been taken in by Riverside County Animal Services.
If you are considering re-homing your pet, the Animal Humane Society has a few tips….
Be sure to give yourself some time to re-home your pet as sometimes it can take weeks or sometimes months to find it the best home.
You can increase your pet’s adoptability by having it spayed or neutered and groomed. Be sure your pet is also up-to-date on vaccinations.
Spreading the word can also help increase your chances of finding the right home for your pet. Asking friends, family and co-workers as well as posting to social media will help speed along the process.
You can also access the Adopt-A-Pet re-homing tool which allows pet owners the ability to be more involved in the re-homing process.
To use this tool, all that is needed is a quick profile set up and any interested parties will be able to apply.
Adopt-A-Pet has staff who are able to review posts to prevent abuse like breeder sales — which makes it a safer alternative to other marketplaces.
Last but certainly not least, never abandon your animal.
The Animal Humane Society is an open-admission organization and will accept any animal for any reason.
If you have additional questions, you can contact the Pet Helpline.
NOW WATCH: Sweden Actually Turns It’s Garbage Into Energy | Save The World