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Man accused of locking dogs in bathroom for 2 weeks arrested

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 22, 2009

A man who left two dogs locked in his Lutz apartment bathroom for weeks while he vacationed in Las Vegas has been arrested, Hillsborough County Animal Services spokeswoman Marti Ryan said.

Hillsborough deputies arrested Gabriel Aguirre on Sunday afternoon, charging him with four felony counts of animal cruelty.

One of the dogs, a female poodle, died.

A 5-week-old boxer survived but has a string of physical problems and was malnourished when animal services investigators and sheriff's deputies entered the apartment and found the animals, authorities say. Ryan said today that the puppy, called Neicy by Animal Services, remains fragile and is in foster care.

It is unknown if or when the boxer will be made available for adoption. Animal Services is petitioning to take the dog from the 35-year-old Aguirre, who is listed as Gabriel Aquirre on the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Jail Web site.

Earlier this month, Mark Garcia said Aguirre called him to check on the dogs, but he lives more than two hours away. Garcia said he called a friend, Chris Bond, who lives in Tampa. Bond went to the apartment at the Preserve at Deer Park, but the complex manager would not let him in.

Deputies and Animal Services investigators found the dogs. They were shut in a bathroom, and investigators found no food or water. They think the dogs had been in the bathroom for about two weeks at that point.

Aguirre remains in Orient Road Jail. His bail has been set at $2,000.

Information from Tribune archives was used in this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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