Is This a Dog or a Fruit Bat?

Update: Roussette has been adopted by Linda Day of Anderson, South Carolina. Linda was so excited about adopting Roussette that she threw her a “welcome home” party! “It’s a great feeling to be the chosen person to adopt this baby from PETA,” Linda wrote on her Facebook page. Read more here.

Originally posted on August 20, 2014:

This is Roussette (which is French for “fruit bat”).

And these are fruit bats.

Can you see how she got her name? This tiny 8-month-old Chihuahua puppy—who weighs just 6 pounds—was spotted running loose in a trailer park in North Carolina by a PETA fieldworker who was picking up a neighbor’s dog for spay surgery.

The neighbor was concerned about Roussette because she was obviously suffering from a severe skin condition that had caused her hair to fall out and left her with raw, scaly patches of inflamed skin.

We spoke to Roussette’s owner and she agreed to let us to take the little dog to a vet, who diagnosed her with demodectic mange. This type of mange—which commonly afflicts puppies and malnourished, sick, or stressed animals—is easily treated, but Roussette’s owner couldn’t afford the treatment, nor could she guarantee that Roussette would remain an indoor dog, so she allowed us to treat her and find her a new home.

Now that Roussette is getting treatment and proper nutrition, the mange is quickly clearing up and her hair is starting to grow back. Her foster mom describes her as the “happiest dog I’ve ever met.” Roussette loves everyone—kids, cats, dogs—and, of course, squeaky toys.

Is there room in your roost for an adorable little “fruit bat”? Roussette will be spayed and microchipped prior to adoption. Please e-mail [email protected] if you’re interested in learning more about adopting Roussette.