PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A tiny four-pound Yorkshire terrier is on the mend after someone left her to die outside the Pennsylvania SPCA’s headquarters on Erie Avenue in Philadelphia over the weekend.

The dog, now known as Gertie, was covered in fleas and dirt when a volunteer found her inside a sealed plastic container on Sunday.

Despite being dumped in 90-degree heat, Gertie was okay.

“Gertie was left inside a large plastic container with a lid on in a 90 degree plus heat day, so we consider ourselves pretty lucky and (her) pretty lucky that our volunteer happened to be walking by,” said Gillian Kocher with the PSPCA.

It’s not clear how long Gertie had been inside the container before a volunteer happened to see her, but now the shelter is looking at its surveillance cameras to see who would leave her in that type of heat.

“(You) don’t leave your dogs in the car, don’t leave your kids in the car, so why leave a dog in a plastic container? It’s just as hot,” Kocher said. “If her owners couldn’t take of her, there are other options.”

Skin and bones, and severe hair loss due to the fleas, veterinarians are trying to figure out Gertie’s age and medical history while monitoring her recovery.

They’re hoping to get her weight back up to six or seven pounds before they can find her a forever home while tracking down who carelessly abandoned her in this weather.

Source: https://6abc.com/animal-abuse-dog-found-in-container-yorkie/5430811/