Abandoned Dog With Dyed Purple Hair Adopted From Shelter

A small dog nearly died after her former owner decided to dye her a bright shade of purple before abandoning her.

Violet, a 5-pound white Maltese mix, was dyed the color of her namesake, officials from the Pinellas County Animal Services (PCAS) in Largo, Florida, said on Facebook. Prior to being placed on medicative treatment, the dog's eyes were swollen shut, she was limp, lacked energy and she suffered burns to her skin.

Violet, however, was found as a stray. Shelter workers gave her fluids, pain medication and washed as much of the chemical dye off as possible before bandaging her up.

"Express yourself, but please do not use hair dye intended for humans to express your pet's style," PCAS said Facebook. "Do NOT, under any circumstances, use hair color intended for humans on your pets. Chemicals in hair dye are TOXIC causing a wide array of external injury to your pet — possible burns, blindness and because an animal’s first instinct is to lick, it can cause poisoning or internal burns. Just don't."

"Only use products specifically meant for pets or you could be putting your pet’s life on the line," the shelter added.

After three months of treatment, Violet was healed. To return to good health, Violet underwent "pain medication, antibiotics, IV fluids, honey treatments, scab removal, anesthetizing, bandage changes and sleepless nights," the shelter said.

"Violet began to tell us what to do — it started with a little noise; not really a bark, not really a cry," the shelter said. "But then she found her voice and she never, ever, EVER stopped. She began to walk the halls, visiting each office requesting treats or hugs or gentle pats, always in the lead with our veterinarian in tow."

"It was clear — Violet was on the mend and she wanted everyone to know it...When the final bandages came off we breathed a collective sigh of relief — Violet was beautiful," PCAS added.

Violet has since been adopted by David Anderson, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Anderson, a resident of the Floridian city St. Petersburg, specializes in dog grooming.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) previously addressed the problem with dying a pet's fur after Victoria's Secret model Alexandra Ambrosio was spotted on a public outing with her dog, which was sporting pink and purple dye on its fur.

"What most people don't know is that dyeing a companion animal's fur can cause the animal stress and can lead to complications or allergic reactions that endanger the animal's health," PETA said in a statement to E! Online. "Our dogs and cats love us regardless of how we look; why not extend the same kindness to them?"

There are safe ways to die an animal's fur. Food coloring, fur chalk, dyes for pets and pet hair sprays are safe options to use, according to SheKnows.