A Midtown woman is raising money to care for a puppy she said was tortured for weeks before being tossed from a moving car.
Elle Heaton said the 13-week-old puppy was discovered Tuesday in Smyrna. Veterinarians believe the dog, who they are calling “John Doe,” may have had acid poured on it repeatedly before being thrown from the car window.
“He definitely has wounds that are consistent with road rash,” said Dr. Courtney Merrow, a veterinarian treating the dog at the Village Vets of Buckhead.
Heaton, who has rescued dogs in the past, said the puppy was discovered by her cleaning lady and brought to her. After seeing the puppy’s injuries, she filed a report with police.
“We believe acid was poured on him on and off over a period of weeks because there are new wounds and old ones,” Heaton said. “Then we believe they threw him out of a moving car to get rid of him. It’s unbelievable ... He probably has some of the worst injuries I’ve seen.”
She hopes to get the dog medical treatment before finding him a good home. A GoFundMe page set up for John Doe's vet bills raised nearly $2,700 in the first day.
“He’s nothing but sweet,” Heaton said, adding the dog will likely have to undergo additional procedures before he’s ready for adoption.
Merrow said while the dog still has has some severe injuries, he’s in the right hands.
“He came back in today and he’s already making significant progress,” she said. “Hopefully he’ll make it through this and end up in a nice house.”
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