A white Maltese mix named Violet suffered severe burns after its owner dyed its fur purple using human hair dye. The unfortunate dog almost died as a result of its owner’s actions.
Rescuers from Florida’s Pinellas County Animal Services shared the heart wrenching story of Violet’s botched make-over, posting several disturbing photos of the 5lb dog to its Facebook page.
“Violet’s eyes were swollen shut, she was limp and listless, she had obvious burns to her skin – we gave fluids, pain meds and we gently washed as much of the chemical dye off as we could, we bandaged her up. Then we waited – Violet went home with our veterinarian and we waited,”
The chemical burns were so severe that Violet’s eyes were swollen shut, she was limp and listless and even lost several layers of her skin. They almost thought she wouldn’t make it. Once they began to shave her fur off, they realized that the burns were a lot worse than they had initially thought.
“To our horror, her skin began to slough off… how would this little dog make it through”
Violet was given pain medications, antibiotics, IV fluids, honey treatments, scab removal, anesthesia and bandages. It took her three months of care to make a miracle recovery. The Pinellas County Animal Services team is actively looking for the owner who dyed Violet and left her to die, with the intent to file charges if the person is ever found.
Today, Violet is safe and thriving with a new owner who adopted her and has safely given her a proper and safe make-over. Her new dad is David Anderson, a Dunedin resident and dog groomer at Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming salon in St. Pete.
Professional dog groomers use animal-safe dyes. They also always make sure to test the dye on small areas to make sure that the dog does not have an adverse reaction.
It is so important to keep in mind that our pets cannot be dyed with human hair dyes, especially since fur-dying is gaining popularity across the country. Dying dog’s fur different colors adds a pop of color and style and is a fun and creative touch if done safely. Please make sure to only use pet-safe dyes on your pets!
