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Even after the tape was removed, he was initially unable to stand. His mouth and feet were still swollen Friday.

Coulter said the dog ikely wouldn’t have survived much longer if he hadn’t been found.

“His mouth had become so swollen that he would have been unable to breathe,” said Coulter. “He was already having difficulty breathing. With the swelling continuing, he likely would have been unable to breathe within a few more hours.”

Despite his extreme suffering, the humane society said Justice should make a full recovery.

“It will take some time, but fortunately because he was found in time we expect him to be able to recover,” said Coulter.

Justice is about seven years old and is not neutered. He is a small breed dog with a cropped tail and only weighs about 13 pounds.

The humane society said he had a pre-existing dental and mouth issue that would have caused him to have bad breath for some time. There is some kind of growth in his mouth that will have to be taken care of.

“He will definitely need some work there, but right now we’re focusing on the immediate swelling and other issues as a result of the experience yesterday,” Coulter said.

The humane society is working with Windsor police to find out who tortured the dog.

“He is a very distinctive looking dog, he is a very small dog, so we’re hoping that someone recognizes him,” said Coulter. “That will definitely assist the investigation if we could trace who the owner was.”

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