LIVE OAK, Fla. — A 10-week-old puppy is working to overcome critical injuries she sustained from her owner in Live Oak in late March, the Live Oak Police Department said on social media.

Officers responded to the area of Andre Davis Street and Rogers Avenue in Live Oak the afternoon of March 31 for an animal abuse complaint. When they arrived, they were contacted by a woman who was holding a 10-week-old puppy in her arms.

The puppy, now named Sweetpea, had several cuts around her ear, swollen eyes and blood coming from her nose, the police department said. The puppy was taken to a local veterinarian where she was treated for a skull fracture and swelling around her head and skull.

The police department said Sweetpea was in “physical distress and pain,” and yelped every time she was touched or moved.

The woman told police that a man she knew, Eric Ivan Roldan, caused the injuries to the puppy. She told police he wrapped the puppy in a blanket and kicked her, stomped on her and slammed her against the ground. The blanket had “obvious blood stains” on it, the department said.

Officers tracked down Roldan, interviewed him, then arrested him. He was taken to the Suwannee County Jail and charged with aggravated animal cruelty.

A not-for-profit organization, Livin’ Like Larry Farm Sanctuary, began the process of stabilizing Sweetpea and providing other emergency services. The directors of the organization, Krystal and Brandon Detty, were the ones who gave Sweetpea her new name.

Around midnight of April 2, as conditions worsened for Sweetpea, she was taken to Oviedo Veterinary Hospital in Central Florida for further care. She was said to be in critical, but stable condition.

Five days later, the police department issued an update on Sweetpea, saying she was still in critical condition but made “miraculous strides.” 

Then on April 8, the police department shared a photograph of Sweetpea back on her feet. The Livin’ Like Larry Farm Sanctuary posted on their Facebook page that they “still don’t know about her left eye,” but said the puppy is “awake, eating and continuing to defy all odds.”

The Livin’ Like Larry Farm Sanctuary has been issuing updates on Sweetpea on their Facebook page. Their latest update came Thursday morning, saying Sweetpea is “stable, eating and giving kisses” to the medical team.