Cancer-stricken woman leaves her dog at an animal shelter with a heartbreaking note

The Stray Rescue of St. Louis, a dog shelter, received a devastating letter earlier this week.

Crystal Chrisp, a 46-year-old woman from St. Louis, learned that her cancer had returned. She was worried about what would happen to her dog, Shell.

Chrisp sent Shell to the dog shelter with a letter explaining her battle and her worries about Shell's future.

Read more on our Twitter account, @amomama_usa. The heartbreaking letter can be seen below.

Chrisp said: "I've been fighting cancer for a few months and if you're reading this I lost my battle. I need for my baby girl to be taken care of in a home."

She added that her days are filled with worry about what would happen to Shell when she loses her battle to cancer.

Shell is like her daughter, she wrote, and added that she loves Shell very much and that the adorable pooch is "a sweet girl."

One day after Shell was dropped off at St Louis Stray Rescue, the local authorities were called out to a burning apartment building.

They found Chrisp's body with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and her death has been ruled as a suicide.

The cause of the fire has not been determined as yet, and officers are investigating the case. They cannot say for certain if the two incidents are related.

St. Louis stray rescue has since shared the letter on their Facebook page and asked the community if anybody wants to adopt Shell.

Chrisp said in her letter that Shell has been through a lot and struggled to trust. She also likes to be cuddled but is not all that fond of being carried.

The dog shelter confirmed that Shell is currently in the care of their executive director Cassady and that she is being "showered with love." They added:

"She is scared, but we will shower her with so much love. If someone has been lonely and would like to give Shell a home, with plenty of patience and understanding, please fill out an application."

Earlier this year, a woman from Australia also left a heartrending note on her Facebook page hours before she died. Holly Butcher wrote:

“It’s a strange thing to realize and accept your mortality at 26 years young. It’s just one of those things you ignore."

She passed away a few hours later after losing the battle to Ewing's sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer.