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Man Who Burned His Own Dog Arrested

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — North Miami Police detectives have arrested the man they say is responsible for a painful case of animal cruelty, detectives said Saturday.

Witvil Florvil, 29, is charged with animal cruelty with intent to injure or kill.

Florvil burned his own dog's back, according to police.

"There was a dog, it was hiding back there by the garbage cans," a neighbor named Tim said. "It looked really bad. It's whole back was bloody. I called animal control."

The boxer-sharpei mix was taken to Miami-Dade Animal Services in mid-July with second- and third-degree burns from head to tail.

When we first met him after he was removed from Florvil's home, he was scared and in pain.

"The dog is clearly a fighter," Miami-Dade Animal Services Director Kathleen Labrada said. "These are extremely painful wounds he's suffering from. He's a little stand-offish around people. But I would be, too."

At the time, the dog was nicknamed "Courage". Neighbors say the dog must have had a lot of it.

"When I initially saw the dog I thought it was probably hurt by running over by a car or something," Tim said. "I didn't know that somebody actually did something to it."

Another neighbor, Ali, wasn't in town at the time of the burning. But he still expressed his condolences for the animal.

"I feel bad for the dog," Ali said.

Another person who lives at the home on NW 127 Avenue in North Miami was originally cited, but after what police are calling an extensive investigation, Florvil was arrested.

The dog is now named Bentley and is being cared for by a rescue group out of South Carolina named Noah's Arks Animal Rescue.

"I feel better for the animal," Tim said. "When i first saw it I thought they'd put him to sleep. But the fact that somebody came down here and adopted it is great."

To learn more about Bentley's care or to donate to Noah's Arks Animal Rescue, visit http://www.noahs-arks.net/RESCUE/HOME.html.

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