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'I couldn't leave him there' - Shih Tzu found severely burned has long road ahead

"It's just not right, he didn't do anything but love somebody."

METAIRIE, La. - A $5,000 reward is being offered after a dog was found with severe burns to the body. The dog, currently undergoing treatment, was found in St. Rose on Riverwood Drive.

"There's nothing a dog could do to ever deserve this," said Jamie Hirstius with the Metairie Animal Shelter.

Baby Boy is a 2-year-old Shih Tzu who's a fighter.

"He's progressing," Hirstius said. "He's still in ICU, but we did upgrade him from critical to guarded."

"It's hard to believe somebody would do that," Gary said.

Gary, who only wanted to give his first name, was the man who found Baby Boy on March 11. He says he noticed the pup in pain and immediately called for help.

"Really when I saw him I was like, oh my gosh," he said. "He was really bad. Once I realized he was alive I couldn't leave him there."

Baby Boy was brought to Metairie Animal Shelter where they found liquid burns all over. From the tip of the dog's nose to the bottom of his paws.

"The top of the head, all of this on this back, his paw pads," Hirstius described. "All but one had at least one paw pad burnt. His genitalia was swollen, his tail was badly burnt. (Whoever did this) obviously either lifted his tail and sprayed him or whatever underneath his tail, or made him sit in it."

The burns, now open wounds, are slowly healing. And while they say the dog is on the right road to recovery, there's concern of infection, which could cause death.

"Fingers crossed, paws crossed we should be able to keep any infection at bay," Hirstius said.

This fur ball though has shown despite the burns, he's a pup at heart. And while his wounds are obviously sensitive, he's a lap dog who loves to have his chin scratched.

"All they want to do is love us," Hirstius said. "We should give them that back and for somebody to take that from him is not right."

And as he undergoes treatment, they're asking whoever's responsible to do the right thing, and come forward.

"You really hope somebody didn't actually do this, it's sad," Gary said.

"It's just not right, he didn't do anything but love somebody," Hirstius said.

If you have any information in this case, you're encouraged to call the Metairie Humane Shelter at 504-451-2822 or 504-458-0531.

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