On August 14, a Judge sentenced Deborah Sue Culwell to 365 days in jail. Back in April, police identified Culwell as the woman responsible for dumping seven three-day-old puppies in a trash bin behind an auto parts business in Coachella, California.
Culwell initially pled not guilty but later changed her plea to guilty on seven felony counts of animal cruelty and seven misdemeanor animal abandonment counts.
Judge Harold Hopp reduced her year-long sentence to 174 days, crediting the time she has already spent in prison since her arrest.
A Lady Freethinker petition urging the prosecution to demand severe and just penalties garnered more than 26,000 signatures. We thank everyone who spoke out for justice for these helpless animals.
Following her jail time, Culwell will be on probation for six years. During this period, she must submit to random drug testing and attend mental health counseling, and is banned from having any animals.
Thanks to a good Samaritan and dedicated animal rescuers, six of the seven puppies survived and have now been adopted, according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
A further 38 dogs were taken from Culwell’s home after her arrest and cared for by local animal rescue organizations.
We are pleased that law enforcement, along with Judge Hopp, took this case seriously and issued a substantial sentence and barred her from possessing any animals — sending a message that animal abuse will not be tolerated in California.
Disgraceful
Disgraceful
someone that mean and heartless should be in prison so they do not hurt others!
Prison and yard cleaning due!
Nice job everybody but a huge thank you to Lady Freethinker for getting the ball rolling as usual!! Thank you for all you do to make a huge difference for suffering animals or to get justice where it is due! xoxoxo
THANK YOU JUDGE FOR SENTENCING THIS MONSTER WOMAN TO BE IN JAIL. Such malevolent, despicable sub humans do not deserve to walk the streets at all.
I’m sorry her sentence was reduced by time served, but pleased she had to serve some jail time. I do think her ban on owning animals should be lifetime, not just 6 years.
Throw her in headfirst and lock the dumpster. Leave her 24 hours, then back to jail.
Good!!!!!!!
Is that all this jerk woman got???? Jail!!! She should be shoved down to the bottom of the ocean!
This woman needs to do at least five years per dog that she threw away. That’s what Michael Vick was looking at with his dogs for time and of course that didn’t work out. Make an example out of this woman. We are tired of seeing this kind of abuse and neglect towards animals of all kinds but especially Defense US babies whether they be cats dogs guinea pigs that don’t matter. She could have taken them to a shelter at least instead of just dumping them but she chose the wrong choice in this matter. Please do right by The Animals this time. Thank you for your time
Get that rotten creul evils bastard throw her in the damned dumped and leave her there show her how it feel those poor innocent beautiful lovely babies -peoples like make me so damned sick how they treat all these poor innocent babies in this creul world~!
good news
Deborah Sue Culwell should have a life-time ban from contact with, care of animals.
Period,
Agree.
We need more animal sided judges on the bench. Thank You to Judge Hopp for your attempt to finding justice and making the world safer without this person’s future abuse of these beautiful babies. I do hope anyone caught doing anything of this nature must report on registry and given the same conditions of never being around or owning an animal ever again.
That woman should be shot!
Cruelty needs to STOP and harsh sentences handed down.