NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — “Speechless” — that’s how Metro Animal Care and Control officials say they feel about the latest case of animal cruelty that they are investigating.

Officers are investigating after they were called to a neighborhood in South Nashville with claims a dog was intentionally set on fire.

Today, Diamond, the petite young bully mix, is just barely able to open her eyes as scabs and open wounds cover her face and ears.

“Come on sweetheart. It’s ok, come on, come on baby,” Dannielle Carter, MACC Animal Care Supervisor, calls as Diamond slowly walks down the hall with a cone around her head.

The smell of decay permeated the room.

“The swelling has at least gone down, but now it’s the scabs, the oozing,” Carter explained. 

The aftermath is difficult to look at. Images don’t begin to describe the cruelty the young pup has survived.

“It has to be terrifying and the rest of her body, if you feel her hair you can feel it’s singed,” Carter said while rubbing the dog as it leaned up against her. 

Animal control officers were called Wednesday to a home on Carroll Street.

“We were told that there was someone seen walking with Diamond who then set her on fire and then this individually ran off. If there’s any more leads out there, there’s apparently video footage of it happening as well so we are looking for any and all answers that we can get.”

She says they have little to go off of.

“All we know is there was an owner. We don’t know who it is and that she was just a neighborhood dog. She would just go from neighbor to neighbor, everyone loved on her, everyone fed her, everyone cared for her. So now, we are just trying to figure out who did this to her specifically,” said Carter.

Despite the trauma, Diamond’s sweet demeanor shines as bright as her name while still seeking human affection.

“This is heartbreaking and it’s hard not to get emotional. When you see someone that’s so innocent just mistreated so poorly it’s almost, it’s honestly speechless. You don’t know how much evil there might be in the world, and like, she doesn’t deserve this. You can see how sweet she is, she just wants the love of a human and to be walking side-by-side with the person who did this to her and then that person do this to her it’s honestly, it’s just speechless. I didn’t know this could actually happen,” Carter teared up. 

MACC is hoping to get Diamond moved to a foster home or a rescue so she can get more one-on-one care.

Her medical care is covered by Friends of MACC. If you want to make a donation, CLICK HERE.

The shelter is at capacity. They need help, especially during the holidays with foster homes and volunteers. For more information CLICK HERE.

If you have any information on the case, you are asked to call Crime Stoppers at (615) 74-CRIME.