Toronto Animal Services is looking to find out more about an abused poodle that was found wandering around a Scarborough neigbourhood on Christmas Eve.

“Frankie,” a small, male apricot poodle who is about one or two years old, was found wandering in the residential area of Rouge River Drive and Jaguar Street, not far from the Toronto Zoo.

Munzir Hussain and his sister found the dog while driving through the area late at night.

“On Christmas Eve we were just driving by and then we saw the little dog running by so we pulled over and we just looked at the dog and called it over,” Hussain told CTV News Toronto. “Then we see the rubber band wrapped around his muzzle so we took the rubber band (off) and we took him home.”

Hussain said being an animal lover himself he had to stop and make sure the dog was alright.

“(Frankie) was shivering and he hadn’t eaten for days,” Hussain said.

The brother and sister gave the dog water, food and a shower. They then realized that his condition was much worse than they could handle so they rushed him to a veterinary hospital.

Mary Lou Leither, a program manager at Toronto Animal Services, told CTV News Toronto that the dog was in very bad shape when he came in their care but he is recovering and eating well.

“(Frankie) was quite severely injured,” Leiher said. “He was also quite malnourished so his body condition was very poor.”

Frankie was treated at the clinic for several days and has since been moved to a foster home to continue his recovery. Toronto Animal Services has taken responsibility for the dog.

“He is really improving,” Leiher said. “Now we’re trying to find out who did this to the dog.”

Toronto Animal Services said that the dog’s blood work came back fine and they expect him to make a full recovery. The agency also said it has received many inquiries from people wanting to adopt Frankie.

Leiher said he’s ‘not quite ready’ yet.

“He’s got a ways to go and we’re keeping an eye on him (because) he may need surgery,” Leiher said. “He won’t be up for adoption for a while.”

Hussain and his sister said they handed Frankie over to professional care for the dog’s best interest.

“We didn’t want the dog to die in our arms,” Hussain said.

Despite the abuse that Frankie has been through, Leiher described him as a lovely little dog that is very happy and trusting.

Toronto Animal Services, Toronto police and OSPCA are working together on the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call 416-338-7297.

Toronto Animal Services is also accepting donations to help Frankie and other dogs like him on their website.