The hunt is on for a person in Toronto who abused a Labrador puppy so severely it had to be put down.

The small, male dog suffered multiple broken ribs and chemical burns to about 30 per cent of its body, including its head, ears and feet.

It was found on a residential property in North York last Friday with an elastic band around its muzzle that was so tight it caused extreme swelling and prevented the dog from opening its mouth.

This marks the worst case of animal cruelty that Toronto Animal Services veterinarian Dr. Stephanie Sparling has ever seen.

The dog was unable to recover from its injuries and it was euthanized on Thursday.

“I’ve worked here for about four-and-a-half years and this is the most severe case of animal abuse I have seen,” Sparling said.

“This was extremely upsetting for all of us here at animal services.”

The City of Toronto is now appealing to the public for help in identifying the culprit and Sparling urged anybody with information to step forward.

The distressed dog was found by a resident near Jane St. and Finch Ave. W. on Oct. 10.

Toronto Animal Services picked up the dog and took it to a partner clinic for antibiotics, pain medication and medical tests.

It was found to have multiple broken ribs, internal damage and chemical burns to about 30 per cent of its body.

“I suspect there was some blunt trauma to the dog, it may have been kicked or hit with something and I suspect there were burns possibly from a chemical poured over the dog,” Sparling said.

The black Labrador-cross was not aggressive towards staff and continuously rubbed its infected face on its side, whimpering, she said.

It was sent to an emergency veterinary clinic on Wednesday after the chemical burns continued to spread, infecting larger portions of its skin.

A specialist at the clinic said the dog could not survive the injuries and it was put down on Thursday afternoon.

The case has been reported to Toronto police and the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA), Sparling said.

The dog’s body has been sent to a veterinary laboratory for a post-mortem examination to discover the full extent of its injuries.

OSPCA inspector Brad Dewar said if a person was convicted of animal cruelty under the OSPCA Act they could face a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, a $60,000 fine and be prohibited for life from living with, caring for, or owning an animal.

The severity of this particular case meant it was likely charges could also fall under the criminal code, he said.

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OSPCA conducted 18,000 animal cruelty investigations last year, including pets that had been neglected to the point of starvation, physically abused and even set on fire.

“This case definitely is one that could have been avoided and this animal has suffered as a result of it,” Dewar said.

Anyone with information about the dog has been asked to call CrimeStoppers through Tattletails, a program developed to encourage the reporting of animal abuse or neglect, on 1-800-222-8477.