News

Actions

Palm City woman arrested after abandoned dog dies

Dog, Bruno, was found emaciated and infected
Posted
and last updated

A Palm Beach County woman, accused of a history of abandoning her animals, is being charged with animal cruelty, according to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control

The charge stems from a case in January 2015 at the Sands Motel in Riviera Beach.

A motel employee went into Kathryn Portman's room after she had been evicted and found Portman's dog, Bruno, abandoned in the room a probable cause affidavit states.

Bruno appeared to be sick and was hairless, according to the report.

Portman, 42, of Palm City, Fla., had been living at the motel for eight to nine months, said the employee.

The employee took care of Bruno for two days and then took him to see a veterinarian.

"The dog was emaciated and was infested with external parasites," said Dr. Kristen Coates, Palm Beach Animal Care and Control staff veterinarian, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Bruno suffered from fleas and mites, an ear infection, and malnutrition, the report states.

"The condition of this animal was so severe that even with intervention from a private veterinary hospital, it was too much for the pet to overcome and died," said Coates. 

This was not the first time Portman was accused of animal cruelty.

She abandoned two of her pets in 2013, according to reports and Palm Beach Animal Care and Control took them in. They both were adopted.

Portman's bond was set at $4,500.