It Takes a Village: How a Community Came Together to Save Underage Puppies

Animal rescue is hard, but it would be much harder without the help of a supportive community. Wine Country Animal Lovers (WCAL) recently learned just how important that support can be. 

A few weeks ago, WCAL volunteers in Calistoga received multiple messages about a young woman selling underage puppies in front of local businesses. photo: WCAL

A few weeks ago, WCAL volunteers in Calistoga received multiple messages about a young woman selling underage puppies in front of local businesses. After the woman brushed off assistance from our WCAL team and returned to sell puppies the next day, it became clear that her intentions were not aligned with the puppies’ best interests. 

In response, Wine Country Animal Lovers sent out a notice reminding the public that the sale of puppies under eight weeks old is illegal in California and punishable by a fine of $250 per animal sold. We asked WCAL followers to spread the message on social media and the Nextdoor app and reached out to our partners in the local police and animal control departments.

But the authorities couldn’t do anything unless they caught the seller in the act so we hatched a plan to make that happen. We asked the community to keep an eye out for the seller, then to quickly call in the location of the pups to law enforcement, while taking photos on their phones. As soon as people understood that what the seller was doing was illegal and was putting puppies at risk, they were more than happy to participate. 

While the police never caught the seller red-handed, the power of peer pressure combined with social media wound up saving the day. The young woman selling the puppies saw our message online and, terrified of being caught, she contacted WCAL the very next day. After a little counseling, she was willing to do whatever it took to avoid being charged or having to pay the fines. Not only did she agree to contact each person who had purchased a puppy and refund their money to reunite the four-week-old puppies with their siblings, but she also agreed to surrender the entire litter. 

Now all nine pups will be raised in a good foster home until they are old enough to be properly weaned and leave one another. They will receive vaccines to keep them healthy and will be spayed or neutered, then made available for adoption. 

We are grateful to everyone who shared our message and helped by reporting sightings and sending photos of the seller walking through town with the underage pups. Thanks to the community’s quick action, nine innocent puppies are now getting the care they desperately needed. Wine Country Animal Lovers has offered free spay/neuter services for the mama and daddy of these puppies as well. 

In situations like this one, the WCAL team always tries to start with education and the offer of help or resources. While there is no cut-and-dried solution, there are plenty of ways for us to work towards a good outcome for everyone involved. 

When our first friendly conversation in the grocery parking lot didn't work, we had to move quickly to come up with a new plan, which included reaching out to our partners at local law enforcement and animal control for backup. Asking the community to get involved helped educate residents about California law and gave local business owners more information so they’ll know what to do next time someone comes by peddling underage puppies.

Doing the right thing by animals isn't always easy or convenient and we understand that. But as rescuers and animal advocates, our role is to speak up when animals are put at risk. 

If a puppy is separated too early from its mother and siblings, this can result in developmental, health, and social issues as they grow. Had any of these pups died because they were separated from their mother and sold before being properly weaned, it could have also resulted in animal cruelty charges for the young woman selling them. 

Regardless of the seller’s motivation, we were able to work together to help her set things right and, in the end, she was grateful for our assistance. The WCAL team is so appreciative of all our followers and community members who helped spread the message about not buying or selling underage pups. 

That public effort made all the difference in this case. Thanks to the community, these puppies are safe and sound today and are getting a second chance to find the forever homes they deserve.