Fort Lauderdale police have arrested the owner of an emaciated doberman on charges stemming from an unrelated incident in Polk County, authorities said early this evening.
When police investigated social media reports of a starving dog at 1636 Northeast 17th Avenue, they discovered 23-year-old D'Anthony Dontrel Davis -- who had three active charges against him -- living in one of the bedrooms with Sherene Marie Walker, 22.
The charges against Davis include possession of oxycodone, resisting arrest without violence, trespassing, and a violation of an injunction involving domestic violence.
According to an FDLE search, Davis was charged with two felonies in February 2012, including aggravated batter on a pregnant female and domestic battery by strangulation. Both charges, filed in Hillsborough County, were later dropped.
That same search shows Davis was also charged in January of this year with possession of marijuana, and an additional charge of possession of drug equipment in Polk County. (It's unclear whether those drug charges related to the charges the Fort Lauderdale Police Department has cited.)
Walker, who appeared to be living with Davis and was also tending to the doberman, was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting without violence, aggravated child abuse, and contributing to the delinquency of a child.
The arrest affidavit states: "During the time conversing with [Walker], she was holding her daughter under one year old. She advised she did not know where the whereabouts of Davis." After cops asked to check the house to locate Davis, police say Walker became "defensive," and "physically blocked our passage to the hallway. She took a defensive stance and pushed [an officer], all the time while holding her child in her left arm, the child now crying.
"Davis was inside bedroom in contradiction of Walker's statements. Davis was taken into custody after a slight struggle."
Indeed, according to this video, after D'Anthony Davis was arrested, he banged against the windows. Afterward, Broward County Animal Control walked the feeble animal to the car.
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