ALVA, Fla. (CBS12) — A Florida man is facing animal cruelty charges after deputies say he failed to seek medical care for his dog after he was struck by a car.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, 40-year-old Michael Crandall was arrested Wednesday after deputies responding to a domestic violence call found him hiding in a drainage ditch along North River Road in Alva.
Deputies say Crandall was accompanied by his dog, Loki, who was dragging his hind legs, shaking and showing visible signs of pain.
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Investigators say they learned the dog had been struck by a vehicle several days earlier. Deputies said Crandall refused to take Loki to a veterinarian despite the animal’s worsening condition.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office Animal Cruelty Task Force took custody of Loki and transported him to a veterinarian for treatment.
A medical evaluation revealed the dog suffered severe spinal trauma. Despite the extent of his injuries, officials said Loki is expected to survive.
“There is absolutely no excuse for allowing an animal to endure this level of pain without medical care. Thankfully, our deputies and Animal Cruelty Task Force stepped in and got Loki the help he desperately needed,” Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.
Crandall was arrested and booked on counts of aggravated animal cruelty, battery and resisting arrest, according to the sheriff’s office.