Photo:Austin Pets Alive!

Austin Pets Alive!
A Chihuahua left at a Texas shelter with a heartbreaking note is now getting much-needed care.
The 2-year-old dog named Fruit Punch arrived atAustin Pets Alive!(APA!) — an animal shelterdedicated to saving rescue pets from euthanasia— in “shocking condition,” covered in pressure sores, urine, and feces, APA! shared onFacebookon August 9. The shelter also described the canine as “horribly thin, even for her tiny frame.”
Fruit Punch did not arrive at APA! alone, she was sent to the shelter with a note that read, “She is very sweet and deserves a better life.”
APA! added on social media that its clinic team is looking after the little dog, who has some trouble standing without trembling.
“She can’t stand without trembling, and her spine curves. We think she was stuck in a very small crate for a long time with no food and no room to move around,” the shelter wrote on Facebook.

After an initial checkup, Fruit Punch started on her road to recovery. The Chihuahua’s vets are currently focused on healing the wounds Fruit Punch arrived with and reintroducing the pet to solid food.
“Her tiny body is working so hard to keep her going, and she can finally start to build up her strength again now that she’s safe and getting looked after,” the shelter wrote in its post.

Fruit Punch and her team are already seeing results. On Wednesday, one of the dog’s veterinarians at APA!, Dr. Rachel Gordon, provided PEOPLE with an update on Fruit Punch’s progress.

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Austin Pets Alive! also shared with PEOPLE thatpets.findhelp.comis a helpful resource for those who need assistance caring for their pets.
Animal lovers looking to support Fruit Punch and other pets like her can donate to APA! and learn more about fosteringat the shelter’s website.
source: people.com