A 6-week-old, 3.5-pound Pit Bull mix puppy named Freddy went to the Greenville Animal Control Shelter in South Carolina on Monday. The stray pup was rescued from the streets by a citizen.

What makes Freddy’s story different is the condition in which he arrived at the facility. A shaking little mass of burned, mangled skin, blood, and infection, Freddy’s face had been doused with caustic acid.

The extent of the injuries Freddy incurred is serious; chemical burns could be found primarily on his face, belly, and feet. The burns to his face removed almost all of his hair and have damaged his inner ear. Though the damage to his eyes has been minimal so far, it is hard to say if his vision will be affected long term due to infection.

Because infection had already begun to set in by the time Freddy arrived at the shelter, the areas of infection required multiple surgeries to repair. The Pit Bull pup is receiving ongoing medical treatments from veterinarians at Dutch Fork Animal Hospital. He is currently in the care of Noah’s Arks Rescue.

Jennifer Smith, president of Noah’s Arks, is cautiously optimistic about the pup’s future. “Freddy is a little fighter with a strong will to live, who proves to them every day that he wants to be here,” Smith said.

Unfortunately, Freddy is only the most recent example in a nationwide trend of animal abuse. Incidents in Arizona, Maryland, and Michigan have made headlines and have reinvigorated discussions about animal abuse registries across the country.

Even though little Freddy is recovering this morning, Noah’s Arks Rescue is still accepting donations to help treat Freddy’s injuries and provide care for many other abused animals like him. For information on how to donate to Freddy’s care you can visit the Noah’s Arks Rescue website.