A 28-year-old man in Nixon, Texas, is in custody for setting a dog on fire, leading to her sustaining severe burns.
The small dog has been named Phoenix to signify her determination to rise from the ashes after a traumatic ordeal, like the mythological Phoenix bird. She is making progress in her recovery, and the residents of Nixon couldn’t be happier.
Dog named Phoenix is recovering after man set her on fire, resulting in fur loss and ear amputation
KENS 5 News reports that on Feb. 7, a Nixon resident alerted authorities after she stumbled upon a visibly injured Phoenix on her front porch. Shockingly, she had severe burns all over her body, and she was whimpering in pain.
According to the news outlet, the monstrous attack led to Phoenix losing 90% of her fur. Moreover, vets had to amputate her ears due to the severity of the burns.
Phoenix’s horrific ordeal made headlines and sparked outrage from the people of Nixon, who demanded justice for the poor pup. Thankfully, their voices didn’t go unheard, as the Nixon Police Department experienced a breakthrough in their investigations several days later.
On Tuesday, Feb. 27, authorities arrested Michael Villanueva on animal cruelty charges. Furthermore, court records show Villanueva is due in court for an unrelated charge.
A previous news report revealed Phoenix is undergoing treatment at a San Antonio animal hospital. 4 Little Paws, a Texas-based rescue, took her to the hospital.
Ashley Book, the rescue’s medical director, shared that Phoenix’s first surgery entailed removing her burned skin.
“So the burnt skin needs to come off the lower portion of her back if it’s ready, meaning it’s on there right now to protect what new growth of tissue is trying to occur,” Book explained.
Additionally, Book stated they’re doing all they can to ease the Phoenix’s pain.
“She has a lot of wounds, like abrasions and lacerations that were probably from whatever happened to her,” Book said. “Those are having to be sewn up as well.”
