House fire, not cruelty, caused dog's burns

It turns out Gage, the dog that arrived at the Humane Society of South Mississippi with third-degree burns over 60 percent of his body, was not a victim of animal cruelty.

The Humane Society found out Tuesday the small, black mixed-breed dog had been injured in a house fire. Gage's owners had assumed he died in the fire.

But they contacted HSSM after seeing Gage's story in the news.

"We're grateful this particular case was an accident and not an act of animal cruelty," said Jill Mollohan, the agency's executive director. "We will continue to provide medical care for Gage and ensure he makes a full recovery."

Gage has been at HSSM for three weeks and is making progress in his recovery. But his injuries aren't fully healed yet.

Staff said the dog remains playful and mischievous and has quickly become a favorite among those who work and volunteer and HSSM. He's still undergoing physical treatments for the burns.

Gage will remain at the Humane Society for the rest of his treatments.

Though his owners are glad he survived the fire, after losing their home they agreed with HSSM staff that Gage should eventually be put up for adoption.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 6:13 PM with the headline "House fire, not cruelty, caused dog's burns ."