A pit bull mix, facing certain death and so weak he couldn’t raise his head when he was discovered in an empty house, is being nursed back to health by the Humane Society of Greater Dayton, which is searching for the people responsible.

The dog, named Alexander by the Humane Society of Greater Dayton, was found by the landlord. The residents apparently moved out of the residence on Gard Avenue unannounced and left the dog, locked in the basement with no food or water, to fend for himself.

According to neighbors, the family moved out at least two weeks prior to the dog being found Saturday.

Humane society Agent Sheila Marquis and her team, investigating a report of an animal in need, searched the empty house. When they went into the basement, they found a torn up mattress, a folded table and the frail, weak dog curled up and potentially hours from death.

“Alexander was in the worst shape I have ever seen a dog in all my years as a cruelty and neglect officer,” Marquis said Tuesday. “He’s doing better but he’s not out of the woods yet,” she told News Center 7’s Kate Bartley.

“If he had been in there a couple of more hours, without our assistance or without the landlord finding him, he probably would not have made it.”

“We believe the dog was eating the foam inside the mattress to survive and he was very near death. He was completely emaciated and covered in fleas. We found him in just the nick of time. He is still too weak to stand on his own, but is eating and gaining a little more strength each day.”

Alexander was rushed to a veterinary’s office and stabilized before being returned to the humane society, where he is getting the medical care and attention he needs.

“We have an amazing cruelty and neglect humane agent on staff and her and her team are working tirelessly to follow potential leads and ultimately prosecute in this case,” said Brian Weltge, humane society president and CEO.

The humane society said it does have a suspect, but released no details about that person.

“Sadly, we see cases just like Alexander far more than we would like to,” Weltge said. “As the area’s largest ‘no-kill’ animal welfare agency, we value the life of every animal and work to save all animals in need. We will continue to work with and care for Alexander and hope to rehabilitate him and find him the loving, caring home he deserves.”

Alexander still can’t walk, and it’s going to take weeks before he’s better, but he’ll survive, officials said.

The nonprofit humane society receives no government funding and relies on donations from individuals and companies to fund their programs.

To better serve severely ill, injured or abused animals in need, the society recently launched a rescue fund. All proceeds from this fund go directly to animals in need just like Alexander.

To donate to the Rescue Fund, simply visit www.hsdayton.org/rescue-fund . For more about the humane society, call (937) 268-PETS (7387).