PATERSON — Two dogs, including a 3-month old pit bull, were set on fire with what is believed to be a blow torch in Paterson, according to a shelter caring for one of the pups.

The Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, on its Facebook page, said Tyler was brought to the Oradell Animal Hospital on Sunday night by a good Samaritan who found him with burn wounds and bleeding a week ago in an area of Paterson the shelter called a "dangerous area known for drugs and dog fighting."

The individual tried to nurse the dogs back to heath but was unsuccessful, according to the shelter. Only one dog was brought to the shelter, which said the whereabouts of the second dog is not known.

Doctors went to work cutting away dead skin to get to the burn wounds and found some regrowth, but most of the skin will die and cause the wounds to worsen, according to the shelter. Tyler also lost protein and may undergo a plasma transfusion.

“This one has disturbed me to my core," shelter executive director Megan Brinster said in the post.

Brinster said that Tyler was doing well on Tuesday morning. "He's been giving all of the staff kisses and so very sweet," she told New Jersey 101.5.

Brinster said the group is working with the group Jersey Pits.

Dog set on fire
Dog set on fire on Paterson (Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge via Facebook)
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The shelter wrote that it is "inconceivable that someone could do this to two living, breathing, feeling beings. Our hearts break knowing that Tyler was found critically injured and burned and his condition worsened before he was given relief."

The shelter has created a Facebook fundraiser to help raise funds to treat Tyler.

Paterson police did not immediately return a message early Tuesday morning.

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