COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. – A woman was caught on camera dumping a trash bag of newly-born puppies behind a Southern California auto parts store Thursday as temperatures rose into the 90s.

The woman pulled up at a dumpster behind a Napa Auto Parts store in Coachella and dumped seven puppies – all about 3 days old and believed to be terrier mixes, according to Riverside County Animal Services. A worker at the store called animal services after a passerby discovered the bag, and the puppies were collected by a veterinary team.

The team immediately cared for the pups and lined up a rescue organization to help bottle feed them and keep them healthy. Miraculously, they survived despite the heat.

“The (man who found the animals) played a major role in saving theses puppies’ lives,” Riverside County Animal Services Commander Chris Mayer said. “His actions were humane and heroic.”

Mayer called the woman’s actions “despicable,” and said Riverside County Sheriff’s investigators and the District Attorney’s office would build a strong cruelty case against her.

“There is no excuse for dumping puppies,” Mayer said. “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.”