What you need to know
Alicia Silverstone saved a pregnant dog and her puppies from euthanasia.
In mid-December, the Clueless star saved a 3-year-old pregnant terrier mix, originally named Kenya and later renamed Noel, from a sad fate. Noel was first brought to an animal control facility after trying to take shelter in a roadside motel in San Bernardino, California.
Motel staff picked her up and alerted animal control, who attempted to take her into custody. However, the animal control facility was overcrowded, and Noel had posted plans for euthanasia on Facebook. Silverstone then saw a post announcing that Noel would be euthanized within 24 hours.
Helen Woodward Animal Center
“I saw this dog, Noel, in a shelter, and so many dogs are killed every day in shelters because of overcrowding and all that,” Silverstone, 49, said, FOX 5 reported. “And her face was really beautiful and lovely.”
So she decided to call Mike Arms, CEO and president of Helen Woodward Animal Center, and ask for help. (Silverstone previously collaborated with The Arms and Helen Woodward Animal Center on their annual ‘Remember Me Thursday’ event.)
After receiving Silverstone’s call, staff at a rescue center in San Diego, California, traveled about 100 miles to San Bernardino to rescue the dog.
Helen Woodward Animal Center
Within minutes of arriving, Noel gave birth to a puppy. Kendall Schultz, Helen Woodward Animal Center’s director of adoption services, called the pup “the most incredible part of this story.”
“That’s what the San Bernardino shelter thought and so did we. They (Woodward staff) literally said, ‘We’re going to pick her up,’ and they came back and said, ‘I can’t believe it! She had a puppy!'” Schultz said in a facility news release.
Noel gave birth to 14 puppies, two of which tragically passed away. The 12 surviving birds were named after the 12 days of Christmas: Drummer, Piper, Lord, Lady, Maid, Swan, Ring, Calling Bird, French Hen, Turtle Dove and Partridge.
“So she had a baby, and she just happened to have a baby on the same day that she almost got killed, which is kind of crazy,” Silverstone explained, according to Fox 5. “They’re so cute. And my son and I were just in the puppy pile with them.”
More than a month later, on Jan. 31, Silverstone and her 14-year-old son Bear went to see Noel, his puppies, and the center’s chickens, goats and 19-pound orange tabby cat.
Silverstone and Bear fostered four puppies, Drummer, Piper, Swan and Partridge, at their home in Los Angeles before they were put up for adoption in mid-February, the center confirmed to sources.
“I’m so happy to be here today at the Helen Woodward Animal Center. I’ve never seen a place like this before. It’s so beautiful and the people who work here are so kind and loving,” Silverstone said, according to Fox 5. “This is a dream.”
And she encouraged people that “the best thing you can do” is to adopt. “If you want someone to spay or neuter, don’t go to a breeder, don’t go to a pet store, just rescue. If you rescue, you’ll get the cutest face. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on a breeder or a pet store.”
Never miss a news. Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to human interest stories.
Jessica Gerke, the center’s public relations and communications director, told PEOPLE how grateful she is to have Silverstone serve as an advocate for the animals it rescues.
“We’ve been fortunate to meet some amazing and dazzling celebrities at the center, but it’s rare to meet someone who truly cares about animals,” said Goerke. “Alicia Silverstone is one of those rare people who genuinely wants to help and make a difference.”
