Cigarette burns, starved and reeking of alcohol was the condition of a five month old pitbull, Sage, when she was rescued in October.
Non-funded Whanganui puppy and kitten rescuer, Robin Dandy, was contacted by the Whanganui Veterinary Services on Tuesday to look after Sage. Ms Dandy has taken in the puppy but is asking for the community's help to "give Sage a real shot at life".
Ms Dandy is fundraising to get Sage micro-chipped, de-sexed and registered which will cost $500.
In October a man, who wishes not to be named, found the puppy abandoned in a locked room and took her in. They fed and housed her but couldn't afford to look after her permanently.
The man said he went to the SPCA as well as the pound to get advice on what would happen to the puppy if they handed her in.
"The SPCA said they couldn't help because their kennel was full. I went to the pound and they said the SPCA would have taken it to us and we would have put a bullet in it," he said.
The man eventually handed the puppy into the Whanganui vets who soon contacted Ms Dandy.
Whanganui District Council compliance team leader Warrick Zander said the pound does not re-home pitbull dogs because they are menacing by breed.
"If a pitbull puppy is handed in to the pound, we will take it to a local vet to be euthanised," Mr Zander said.
SPCA Manawatu senior animal welfare inspector, Brett Lahman, said that if there were obvious signs of abuse and genuine welfare concern SPCA staff were expected to contact him for an investigation.
Ms Dandy said it's owners like this who get away with animal abuse far to often and it is about time the New Zealand laws changed.
"I'm extremely angry and disappointed with the SPCA and the pound for their response. They are both getting funded to manage animal welfare issues but have done nothing," Ms Dandy said.
Any donations for Sage's care can be made to Ms Dandy's account at the Whanganui Veterinary Services on Somme parade.