Staff at a shelter in Austin, Texas, have been left devastated after finding a labradoodle with a severely injured leg tied to a nearby tree.

Now named Independence Day by the Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) shelter staff, the dog is currently recovering from an amputation performed on July 9, just six days after being found.

Luis Sanchez, the shelter's director of public relations, recounted the moments following the dog's discovery. He told Newsweek: "The clinic manager noticed that the rope—a slip-lead—was tied around the tree several times, indicating that he had probably been there for a few hours.

"She noticed the dog had a bandage from a vet clinic with the date 'July 2nd' written on it. The bandage had come off near his injury, exposing his paw. The paw had signs of infection and also potentially self-mutilation to the point that there was exposed bone."

Upon arrival at the clinic, the staff quickly administered wound care and medication to the injured dog. Due to the severity of the injury, Independence Day had to be sent to the city shelter for a mandatory three-day stray hold. Once he returned to APA!, the clinic was left with no choice but to remove his leg.

The abandonment of Independence Day is a poignant reminder of the financial challenges many pet owners face. "What we suspect is that the owner could not afford the vet care, likely costing thousands of dollars," Sanchez said. "Currently, our city shelter has closed intake, so they possibly felt like they had no options and hoped we would find him."

This situation is not unique. According to a Humane Society report, approximately 20 million pets in the U.S. experience neglect due to their family's poverty, and 70 percent have never seen a veterinarian.

The survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the Humane Society of the United States among 2,042 U.S. adults. It found that 43 percent of all pet owners have been unable to pay for their pets' needs at some point due to financial reasons.

To address these issues, Sanchez emphasized that "it is important to seek out community resources to find affordable vet care, assistance, and other resources."

"Our vet also recommends visiting a few vet clinics in hopes of finding one that will work with you to either lower the cost or work with you on payment."

APA! also has a program called Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender (P.A.S.S.) to help pet owners with medical care expenses. This program aims to prevent pet abandonment by providing financial assistance and support to those in need.

Despite a rough start to the month, Independence Day, who is described to be a "kind and gentle" dog, is on the road to recovery.

Sanchez told Newsweek: "He is now in recovery and should be able to hop around either today or tomorrow and be fully recovered in a couple of weeks and ready for adoption. He is currently looking for a medical foster so he can recover in the peace and quiet of a home."

Since the story was shared to their Instagram (@austinpetsalive), the shelter has received donations and support from many people.

"Poor sweetheart," said one user and another outraged person wrote: ""People who can't afford to care for their companion should maybe stop buying designer breeds. This is so pointlessly tragic."

Independence Day's story is a reminder of the importance of community support and resources to keep pets and their families together. As Sanchez concluded, "We just want people to know that there are options out there before they reach that point of abandonment. We know it's likely hard to abandon an animal and to go through that process, but there are a lot of other resources."

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