Phoenix: Chihuahua mix found burned, on the road to recovery

In the beginning of October, a Chihuahua mix puppy was found with burn scars covering most of her tiny little body. According to eyewitnesses, some of the neighborhood youth was seen singeing the abandoned puppy’s fur. When the poor pup began to catch fully on fire, the kids ran away. Fortunately, a neighbor was able to put out the flames with a hose. The puppy then escaped.

On the following day, a good Samaritan found the puppy hiding behind a trash can. The puppy’s wounds still looked fresh but, luckily, not infected.

The good Samaritan is known throughout the community for helping strays in the area. She took it upon herself to treat the scarred puppy. With a mix of burn cream and aloe vera, the puppy began to heal.

When the puppy was well on her way to recovery, the kind woman contacted one of our cat care associates, Magali Renteria. 

“When I talked to [the woman] on the phone,” Magali said, “I could tell she was really broken up about it.”

 Upon seeing the condition of the puppy, Magali knew she had to help, and on Monday, October 23, the puppy was surrendered into our care.

“You can tell she’s nervous being held,” Magali said. “I’m pretty sure they held her down while burning her.”

It is very clear that the puppy, now named Phoenix (27347), is very traumatized by the whole experience. It has affected her ability to trust people. Magali noticed that she also suffers from severe separation anxiety.

“[Phoenix] is timid,” our animal care operations supervisor, Maritza Lopez, said. “She doesn’t know if people will help her or hurt her.”

In our care, we believe Phoenix will overcome her physical and emotional trauma. She should be available for adoption the first or second week of November. Her new family will need to be very patient, as Phoenix may still need more time to heal and trust others again once she’s in her new home. With lots of love, we know she’ll be the happy girl she is meant to be.

Valley Animal Center is dedicated to serving animal companions in the Central Valley and beyond. Our mission is to unite dogs and cats with loving people. We believe every animal deserves a loving family and furever home. Donate to support our endless mission as we care for hundreds of homeless dogs and cats.