Man Found Guilty in ‘Puppy Doe’ Animal Abuse Case

DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts man accused of abusing a dog so severely that it had to be euthanized has been convicted on animal cruelty charges.

Radoslaw Czerkawski was found guilty on numerous animal cruelty charges on Monday. WBZ-TV reports he was cleared of a witness intimidation charge.

The starving female pit bull mix dubbed Puppy Doe was found in a Quincy park in 2013 with multiple fractures, a stab wound and a split tongue. Veterinarians determined the dog was too badly hurt to save.

Czerkawski's attorney acknowledged his client owned the dog but said it ran away and someone else was responsible for the abuse. Czerkawski already is in prison on two unrelated larceny convictions.

His attorney didn't immediately return a message left at his office Monday.