Dog left in Tempe dumpster recovering

TEMPE, AZ - A severely injured dog left for dead in a Tempe dumpster is doing better Tuesday.

Tempe police said someone called 911 after finding the dog in a dumpster in the middle of a strip mall parking lot at the southwest corner of Mill and Southern Sunday morning.

An officer found a Yorkie Terrier puppy with damage to her trachea, a broken jaw, and the dog’s left eye out of its socket.

The dog had surgery on Monday. A vet at Prestige Animal Clinic in Gilbert had to remove the eye and wired the dog’s jaw, but the vet said the dog should recover.

Valley of the Sun Dog Rescue is taking care of the dog, now named Tempe after the Tempe police officer who took her to the vet, until she recovers. Tempe will then be put up for adoption.

Kathy Swaney, founder of Valley of the Sun Dog Rescue, said Tempe is doing well. “Her spirits are up and she has minimal pain. She is going outside for potty breaks and loves to follow me around the house. Eating is one of her favorite things to do with her little tail wagging the whole time.”

A doctor saw Tempe Tuesday and is very pleased with her recovery so far.

Swaney said, “In about 2 [months] she will go back in for surgery to get the wires out of her jaw and we all expect a full recovery. Tempe and Valley of the Sun Dog Rescue would like to thank all of the concern and donations that have been coming in. Please keep them coming. We will soon have enough to cover her vet bills and those to come up in the near future.”

Tempe police request that anyone with information please call 480-350-8311.