PUEBLO, Colo. -- An 8-week-old Jack Russell terrier mix puppy is recovering after he was found tortured and abandoned next to a dumpster in Pueblo.

The puppy appears to have cigarette burns on his body and was spray-painted when he was found behind a convenience store along Highway 50.

A store employee found the puppy and called Pueblo Animal Services, which treated his injuries.

"His wounds seem to be healing and he's eating better all the time so we're hoping another week or so and he'll be ready to go," veterinarian Keith Lorensen told KOAA-TV.

The dog has been named "Trooper" by animal services workers.

The investigation into the dog's abuse is continuing.