PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – Officials at a Florida animal shelter are warning pet owners not to use human hair dye on pets after spending months caring for a small dog that was dyed purple by her former owner and then abandoned.
Pinellas County Animal Services posted the story of Violet, a white Maltese mix, earlier this week.
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Officials say when Violet first arrived after being found as a stray, her eyes were swollen shut, and she had obvious skin burns. Once they started to clean and shave her, skin began to slough off.
Violet with her new dad. Happy Tails, trailblazer. Keep telling everyone what to do.
Posted by Pinellas County Animal Services on Wednesday, January 24, 2018
After three months of antibiotics and painkillers, Violet was ready for a new home. She was adopted by David Anderson, a St. Petersburg dog groomer.
Read the about Violet's recovery here. Warning: Some of the images are graphic.
Officials also warn that animals can also be poisoned by trying to lick off the dye.
"Do not, under any circumstances, use hair color intended for humans on your pets," Pinellas County Animal Services wrote on Facebook. "Chemicals in hair dye are toxic causing a wide array of external injury to your pet -- possible burns, blindness and because an animal’s first instinct is to lick, it can cause poisoning or internal burns. Just don’t."