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A severely malnourished puppy named Little Bit that an unknown couple brought to an animal hospital in Decatur .

Vet: Animal may have been intentionally starved

A severely malnourished puppy named Little Bit that an unknown couple brought to an animal hospital in Decatur last month is on its way to recovery, her veterinarian said.

“She’s gained three and a half pounds. She’s running around playing, she’s affectionate,” said Dr. Alisha Spivey of the Animal Emergency Center of Decatur. “She’s basically acting the way a 10- or 11-week-old puppy should be acting.”

The mix breed/pit bull puppy, between four and six months old, was dropped off at Village Vets of Decatur on Sept. 28. It was so emaciated it could not stand on its own or lift its head. The clinic ran tests on the dog and found no illness or disease. Detectives believe food was intentionally withheld from the puppy.

“When I offered her food, she was ravenous,” Spivey said. “She acted like she had never seen food before.”

The puppy weighed about 8 pounds and was on the verge of death, according to Spivey.

Video surveillance from the clinic shows two individuals exiting a black SUV and dropping off the dog at the front lobby. The female suspect attempted to fill out paperwork, but provided false information to clinic personnel, including a name that turned out to be fake, Spivey said. The suspects called the puppy “Little Bit.”

Little Bit awaits a new owner, Spivey said. The dog will be given to a foster home and eventually a permanent home after applications are reviewed, she said. Many people have asked to care for the dog.

The county’s Animal Cruelty Task Force Unit is investigating the crime. The first suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches and 180 pounds with a very low haircut and some facial hair. The second suspect is a Black female, about 5 feet 5 inches and about 150 to 170 pounds with her hair in a ponytail.

Anyone who may recognize the dog by this name or recognizes descriptions of the individuals are asked to call the DeKalb County Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Unit at (404) 294-2645. Copies of the surveillance video can be picked up at Police Headquarters, 1960 West Exchange Place, Tucker.