A man accused of illicitly posing as a veterinarian turned himself into police and faces criminal charges, according to the Hialeah Police Department.
Jose Alvarez-Marrero turned himself in on Friday accompanied by his lawyer. He now faces charges of practicing veterinary medicine without a license and of animal cruelty with the intent to injure or kill.
According to police, Alvarez-Marrero and his girlfriend, Sophia Gonzalez, operated an unlicensed veterinary clinic out of their home in Hialeah.
A victim told police he took his 12-year-old American Bulldog named Royalty to Alvarez-Marrero for a procedure. The victim said that after the procedure, he returned to Alvarez-Marrero for help on several occasions after noticing that Royalty was not properly recovering.
The man eventually went to a credible veterinary clinic, but it was too late. Royalty died from complications resulting from an unsterile surgical procedure.
Gonzalez was arrested weeks ago but Alvarez-Marrero remained at-large until surrendering to authorities.
