Police near Guelph, Ont., are asking for the public's help to track down the people who threw a little puppy out of a truck.

The chow puppy was chucked out of the moving vehicle on Tuesday, but police have had little luck finding its owners.

Luckily for the puppy, someone saw the dog land on the ground. They pulled over and called police.

"Look at this guy," said Elizabeth Bonkink of the Guelph Humane Society, cradling the puppy in her arms.

"Why anybody wouldn't want him is beyond me."

The puppy is believed to be only about eight weeks old, and he wasn't hurt by the fall.

But there is evidence of prior abuse. The puppy was severely malnourished and underweight. It's not known how long he may have been starved, but after a few days of proper nourishment, he appears to be looking and feeling better.

The puppy is not up for adoption because he's still part of a police investigation. Guelph Humane Society officials say they would like to speak to the good Samaritans who helped rescue him.

"If they would like to come forward, we would love to hear from them and give some information about how the pup is doing. It would be nice to thank them," said Bonkink.

Police say they would also like to talk to anyone who may have information about the dog's owners.

Police say they have a description of the vehicle, but have had no luck finding suspects.

"It's a full-sized black GMC or Chevrolet pickup truck. It's believed there were two occupants in the vehicle at the time," said Sgt. Steve Ingham of the Ontario Provincial Police.

The suspects could face cruelty to animal charges. The penalty if convicted is a $2,000 fine, six months in jail, or both.

Bonkink says if the owners of the dog had just brought them the puppy, they could have given it up without any consequences at all.