Man faces charges in dog abuse case
L A K E WORT H — A L a k e Worth-area man is facing a charge of animal cruelty after an English bulldog named Frankie was found starving to death by animal-control officers, according to an arrest report.
Nav i n Ra mgopaul , 3 3, was released from the Palm Beach County Jail on Tuesday after posting a $3,000 bond.
Ramgopaul called Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control on Sept. 1 and reported he had a stray dog for pickup, the report said.
When animal control officers arrived the next day at the home west of the city on the 6300 block of Pinestead Drive, east of Military Trail and south of Lantana Road, Ramgopaul admitted the dog was his, but that he didn’t have money to pay for veterinary care and that he “didn’t want to be judged for the dog’s appearance,” the report said.
Frankie appeared emaciated, even though Ramgopaul said the dog was fed t wo or three times a day. The d o g w a s also incontinent and h a d o t h e r physical issues, the report said.
A v e t e r i n a r i a n w h o checked out Frankie said the dog scored a “5” on a care-and-conditioning test, wi t h 1 b e i ng i dea l a nd 5 emaciated. The veterinarian stated on his report that the dog was “suffering from severe starvation.”
The veterinarian wrote that the dog had no problem with its appetite and ate well when fed.
F r a n k i e w e i g h e d 2 4 pounds when found by animal-control officers. Within a month after being adopted, the dog weighed 48 pounds, the report said.