ST. ALBANS, Vt. (WCAX) – Police have arrested a Vermont man accused of abandoning a dog in an apartment with no heat, food or water for an extended period of time.
Kyle Gratton, 34, of St. Albans, was arrested on Christmas Eve. He faces felony charges of cruelty to animals.
St. Albans police say the 1.5-year-old rottweiler named Hank lost 77 pounds during the time he was abandoned. He was eventually rescued by the nonprofit For the Love of Dogs Vermont.
Police believe the dog had been abandoned for weeks before the initial report of neglect was made.
Gratton is due in court in February.
Hank is now recovering at a veterinary clinic and will be ready for adoption in the new year.