Hope’s Story: Beaten, Burned, and Left in a Dumpster — Now Fighting to Live
On May 5, 2019, the quiet afternoon at a Coachella shopping center was shattered by faint cries coming from a dumpster. A passerby, rummaging through trash, stopped in their tracks when they realized the sounds were not from garbage, but from a living being. Inside a plastic Walmart bag, barely clinging to life, was a tiny puppy.
The puppy’s injuries were horrific. Her tail had been cut off, parts of her tender skin were burned, and she could not walk after being beaten. She was only a few weeks old.
The Good Samaritan rushed her to a nearby jewelry store, where the owner immediately brought the injured pup to emergency veterinary care. Rescuers named her Hope — a name to match the miracle of her survival.
Veterinarians believe Hope was burned with either a caustic substance or a heated metal object. Despite the unimaginable pain she endured, she continues to fight for her life in intensive care.
“This little one has been through the worst of humanity,” the Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation shared. “But we believe in her. We believe she deserves a second chance.”
The foundation has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible. Meanwhile, supporters around the country are rallying to cover Hope’s medical expenses through a GoFundMe campaign.
This tragedy follows closely on the heels of another case in Coachella, where seven puppies were found dumped in a trash bin. In that instance, one pup did not survive, but the others are recovering. Authorities later arrested Deborah Culwell, charging her with animal cruelty, and removed 38 other dogs from her property.
For now, little Hope continues her fight, surrounded by veterinary teams determined to save her. Though she carries deep physical and emotional wounds, she embodies what her name promises: that even in the darkest of places, there is always hope.