A man, who admitted to intentionally leaving two dogs and two cats in his Pompano Beach apartment to die, was arrested on multiple charges of cruelty to animals.
Charles Serviano was taken into custody after voluntarily going to the Broward Sheriff's Pompano Beach District Office to talk to detectives investigating the death of a tan Chow mix and the care of the other three animals. Serviano said he was experiencing some very tough times and could no longer care for the animals. He said he left the apartment about three weeks ago, moved in with relatives, and hadn�t been back to check on the animals since August 24, 2002. Serviano said he had decided to wait for the animals to die then remove them from the apartment.
The animals were found living in deplorable conditions in apartment 1310 located at 1275 SW 46 Avenue. The Chow mix was found deceased in one of the bedrooms and the two domestic cats were found alive in the apartment. The surviving dog, a black and white spotted German Shorthaired Pointer, had escaped by jumping from one of the apartment�s second floor windows and spent the night with a resident. The apartment had been ransacked by the two dogs and two cats in search of food. Animal feces covered the floors throughout the two-bedroom, one bath apartment. The electricity had been turned off, and investigators believe the animals� only source of water was from the bathroom toilet, which had been depleted by the animals.
Pompano Beach Animal Control transported all four animals to an area animal hospital. Doctors were unable to perform a necropsy on the chow due to the animal�s decomposition. They believe the Chow had been dead for at least three or four days.
Serviano faces four third-degree felony counts of cruelty to animals. If convicted, he could spend up to five years in prison and/or pay a fine not exceeding $10,000 for each count. Serviano was booked into BSO�s Main Jail.
BSO District 11 (Pompano Beach) detectives don�t anticipate any other arrests. Serviano said his former roommate, who�s also listed on the apartment lease, does not own any of the animals and he moved out earlier this year in February. The only animal owned by Serviano, the Shorthaired Pointer, is being released to Broward County�s Humane Society for adoption. The two cats will be released to their owner, who was told by Serviano that he was taking care of them. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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