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An animal shelter which was given an adorable pit bull puppy found a note from its heartbroken 12-year-old owner explaining why he had to give up the animal.

The grey pup was left in a cardboard box outside the rescue centre with his favourite polar bear toy and a handwritten note from a boy who hoped the shelter could take care of his pet to save it from his abusive father.

The note reads: "My name is Andrés and I am 12 years old. My mom and I decided to leave my dog in your hands, hiding it from my dad because he is thinking about selling him.

"But he mistreats and kicks him. One day he kicked him so hard that he hurt his tail. I hope you can help and take care of him.

"I left him a stuffed animal so he won't forget me."

(Image: Facebook)

The pit bull is now in the care of Refugio Xollin, a rescue shelter in Michoacan, Mexico, where he will be nursed back to full health before being put up for adoption to find him a forever home, as reported by CNN.

The shelter posted the heartbreaking story on Facebook, writing: "They left us this dog outside the shelter, inside a box, with a note and a stuffed animal.

"The note was written by a boy, where he explained that his father mistreated this puppy and was going to sell it.

"With all that burden of despair they left [it with] us to be saved."

Staff said they will take the dog to the vets to check his injured tail and treat parasites, adding it's more money and more work for them but told the pup: "Fortunately you are safe now."

The post gained hundreds of likes, shares and comments, with more than 300 requests coming in from all over the country to give the dog a home.

The shelter explained he needs to fully recover before they can consider finding him a home, and were quick to remind people that it currently homes 120 other dogs who need a loving family too.

It read: "If everyone opened their heart and their home like this little dog, they would have adopted all our dogs from the shelter."