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$5,000 Reward Offered Over Puppy Burned In Dumpster

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of $5,000 -- double their standard reward amount for cruelty cases -- for information that will lead to the arrest of whoever set a puppy on fire last week.

The dog was rescued one week ago and is now getting care at a pet hospital in Bloomington. Authorities believe the 5-month-old dog was intentionally set on fire.

Clayton Van Wert was throwing out some trash at a dump near his home in Reby, Minnesota when he heard whimpering and banging in a dumpster that was on fire.

"I looked in and I could see this figure of a dog that was coming through the flames," Van Wert said.

Without thinking, he reached into the fiery bin and pulled out the puppy.

"I did not want his life to end in that fashion," Van Wert said. "All of his fur that was stuck to his body resembled a very burnt marshmallow."

Clayton called a Red Lake Tribal Reservation conservation officer who brought the husky mix to a local rescue shelter. The staff named the puppy Phoenix, after the mythical bird that rose from the ashes.

This week, Phoenix was recovering at South Hyland Pet Hospital in Bloomington. Phoenix will need several months to undergo skin grafts and put on weight.

"He got down here the next day and I think that made a huge difference," Dr. Vicki Shulz said. "The guy came at the right time. This guy's got somebody watching over him."

Despite all the attention, Van Wert doesn't think of himself as a hero.

"I had just done something that I had to do," he said.

Van Wert already has two dogs of his own, but Phoenix will always be in his heart.

"In the fifteen minutes I spent with phoenix, I could tell he was a very special dog."

Police are still searching for the person or people responsible for lighting Phoenix on fire. The puppy won't be up for adoption for a couple of months until he's fully recovered.

Click here if you'd like to donate to help Phoenix.

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