A Fort Lauderdale man is facing charges after he was found with a malnourished dog inside a stolen rental vehicle in Sunrise last month, authorities said.
An officer had stopped the U-Haul Ford van along Oakland Park Boulevard in Sunrise back on March 10 after its tag came back to a stolen vehicle, an arrest report said.
When questioned, the driver - identified as 26-year-old Andrew Walter Johnson - said he had not yet returned the van because he was currently living in it with his girlfriend until they get their tax return.
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The police officer then discovered a black and white female Dalmatian in the back of the van, who appeared to be significantly malnourished, according to an arrest report.
The dog, named Oreo, was very thin with her hip and rib bones visible. Oreo also had extremely long nails, a stained coat and appeared to be suffering from malnutrition, the report stated.
A search of the vehicle showed no sign of dog food or water, only two empty bowls. There was also no leash, bedding or cage for the pet.
Johnson, who has been Oreo's owner since 2020, claimed he lost her and another dog at a dog park in Fort Lauderdale earlier this year. He allegedly found her two weeks later and has been with her since mid to late February, the report continued.
Police say Johnson claimed he had been feeding Oreo three times a day and was trying to get her weight back up, but her physical appearance said otherwise.
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He was arrested on charges of misdemeanor animal cruelty and failure to return a rental vehicle.
