Dogs are covered in a protective layer of fur that helps keep them safe and warm when exposed to the elements. However, their fur is not enough to keep them alive during freezing winter days and nights…

When one Connecticut Animal Control Officer discovered an abandoned pit bull trapped in cage, behind a dumpster one winter day he was struggling to stay alive. “It was probably 10 to 12° outside and it was very cold and the dog is very skinny. He was shivering,” said Animal Control Officer Sean Godejohn.

“The dog was placed in a crate. All that was over the crate was a sheet. And the dog was exposed to all the elements in the rain and the cold,” said Godejohn. “The crate was not secure at all. There was no lock on the crate the crate had no floor to it.”

The officer quickly brought him to the shelter to warm up and gave the dog, who they named Charlie, some water and food. As of now, they don’t know who is responsible for abandoning Charlie, but once caught, the person faces a minimum $1,000 fine or as much as a year in jail.

Until then, the shelter is focusing on helping Charlie heal physically and emotionally from the trauma. “Maybe we can make the dog more comfortable and get him to trust us where we can make the dogs available for adoption,” said Godejohn.

Watch the entire video below to see the horrific way this poor dog was abandoned.

What would you do if you saw a dog abandoned outside in a cage? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: WTNH]