SAN ANTONIO - A dog was left to die in a dumpster, covered in trash, according to San Antonio's Animal Care Services. They say that the pup, given the name Millie, was moments away from death.
"When we arrived on scene, she was already seizing from that heat exposure and so... panting, gasping for every breath that she could get," clinic manager Matt Llewellyn said.
Millie was rushed to a pet clinic where they began pumping her with fluids and treating the wounds on her head.
"She was already at over almost 105 degrees temperature when she got here, and she didn't have a lot of time at all," Animal Care Services Field Operations Supervisor Audra Houghton said.
Vets say just 30 more minutes and Millie may not have made it.
"We're just happy that that citizen made the call because, without it, if she didn't die yesterday she would have certainly drowned this morning with all the rain. So she was very, very fortunate to have somebody step up and do the right thing," Llewellyn said.
Animal investigators are looking for who dumped the dog, leaving her for dead.
"This is the first time that I've seen a living dog in a dumpster like this," Houghton said.
Once the perpetrator is caught, authorities say that person could face felony charges for the torture Millie endured.
"To see a dog in that condition, having been treated so poorly by humans, to willingly accept our help and aid is a good sign that she is going to be making a great companion to someone that will love her and take care of her the way that she deserves," Llewellyn said.
Vets say Millie still has a long way to go, but they expect her to make a full recovery, and then will start the adoption process.
Animal Care Services is asking anyone with information on the incident or the dog’s owner to dial 311.