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Homestead Man Charged With Animal Cruelty

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Homestead man has been arrested in what's been called a disturbing case of animal abuse.

Lazaro Ruiz, 26, has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty, two counts of selling animals without a license and one count of unlicensed practice of veterinary medicine.

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Witnesses reportedly told police they bought several pit bull puppies from Lazaro in a Walmart parking lot in Florida City.

Animal Cruelty 1
Lazaro Ruiz, 26, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty, two counts of selling animals without a license and one count of unlicensed practice of veterinary medicine. (Source: Miami-Dade County Animal Services)
Animal Cruelty 2
Lazaro Ruiz, 26, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty, two counts of selling animals without a license and one count of unlicensed practice of veterinary medicine. (Source: Miami-Dade County Animal Services)
Animal Cruelty 3
Lazaro Ruiz, 26, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty, two counts of selling animals without a license and one count of unlicensed practice of veterinary medicine. (Source: Miami-Dade County Animal Services)
Animal Cruelty 4
Lazaro Ruiz, 26, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty, two counts of selling animals without a license and one count of unlicensed practice of veterinary medicine. (Source: Miami-Dade County Animal Services)

Another witness said when he told Lazaro that his pit bull was having difficulties giving birth, Lazaro injected her in the back leg with a syringe containing an unknown substance which he said would help her deliver the puppies, according to his arrest report.

Police also reportedly obtained a picture of Lazaro cutting a female dog's stomach to perform a C-section. On YouTube, investigators found a video of Lazaro who stated that "He freshly cropped three pairs of Doberman dogs using a home remedy."

Police removed the dogs from Lazaro's home and turned them over to animal services.

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