An abused puppy was handed into a no-kill animal shelter after she was found with a hairband tightly tied around her snout.
The hairband was so "deeply embedded, it went down to the bone" and left her with intense swelling that doubled the size of her little face.
Vets at Cincinnati Animal CARE in the US provided her with "immediate treatment" and removed the hairband then stitched up the gaping gash.
She was given the name Tiffany by shelter staff, after their "favourite eighties pop star".
It is believed the hairband may have been used to keep the young dog from barking, commonly seen done with zip ties.
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Gruesome images shared on Facebook by the animal centre showed the horrific extent of the abuse.
In the post, the rescue team said Tiffany handled her emergency care like a "champ" and spent the night with a member of the medical team.
Yesterday, an update was shared to reassure followers that Tiffany is now "healing well, eating and drinking normally", and has been fostered by the Good Samaritan who found her.
Tiffany's swelling has significantly gone down and her face is now stitched up and on the road to recovery.
Cincinnati Animal CARE is on the hunt for information about Tiffany and her abuser, and animal rights organisation PETA has even offered a reward for anyone who can help lead to an arrest.
Those with knowledge of the incident can contact Hamilton County Dog Wardens on 513-541-7387.
Another puppy was left traumatised after his dog sitter fit him with an anti-bark collar.
Maria Corrigan, from Northern Ireland, felt "sick" to learn that her one-year-old pup Shiloh had been subjected to the abuse.
She said: "He's not an overly vocal dog but after two days of absolute silence from him and his mood change, I took him to the vet because I thought he was sick and I was worried the collar may have injured him.
"My vet said he may have suffered psychological harm from the experience and we'd have to give him time to see how things worked out.
"They said his silence and withdrawn behaviour could have been a result of being too afraid to bark."
The young cocker spaniel cross was in the care of Orla and Damien Purcell of Chez Purcell The Dog Hotel, in Newtonabbey.
Do you have a story to tell? Contact nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
