Florida Man Accused Of Starving Dogs To Death Inside Abandoned Home

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – A Florida man responsible for locking away and starving two dogs is facing animal abuse charges after investigators said two dogs died in his care, sheriff's officials said.

David Fritsch, 33, left two dogs locked in a master bedroom with no food for several weeks, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a Facebook Live post.

Ivey called it "one of the worst absolute cases of animal cruelty I've ever seen in my 40 years as a cop."

According to the sheriff, the dogs ate chips of wood from furniture, plastic bottles, plastic bags, and band-aids in an attempt to stay alive.

"These poor animals were literally eating furniture and their own feces trying desperately to stay alive," Ivey said.

Investigators were alerted to the situation in January when someone called about two dogs being abandoned in a home.

Animal Services workers found the dogs dead in the home.

During the live video, the sheriff walked Fritsch into the jail.

"I guess you didn't get the memo about don't hurt animals." the sheriff said.

Fritsch remained in the Brevard County Jail on Wednesday. Jail records do not list a lawyer for him.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)