Dog Dies After Illegal Surgery By 'Fake' Veterinarians In Florida Apartment, Police Say

Police in South Florida are looking for a man who reportedly conducted an illegal surgery on a dog in a makeshift animal hospital in his apartment which led to the animal's death.

Hialeah Police and Miami-Dade Animal Services on Wednesday showed up at an apartment complex where they believe two suspects were illegally practicing medicine on animals.

Sophia Gonzalez, 40, and Jose Alvarez Marrero, 58, have been accused of performing an illegal neutering procedure in April on an American Bulldog named "Royalty," according to an arrest report. Gonzalez was booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail on Wednesday, the Eagle-Tribune reported.

"Multiple procedures were being done," Hialeah Police Lt. Eddie Rodriguez wrote in a statement. "Various things were being done there."

The dog's health appeared to decline two days after the surgery at the Hialeah apartment. The owner, concerned by the dog's condition, took it to Knowles Animal Clinic in Miami. The animal died three days later from "complications resulting from an unsterile surgical procedure," Rodriguez said in a statement.

"I lost my dog that I’ve had for 12 years," owner Omarnestor Delrio told WTVJ, an NBA affiliate in Miami. He told police that he took his dog to Alvarez-Marrero's apartment in Hialeah on April 23 and paid the man $250 to have the animal neutered.

"The victim noticed a spurt of blood [into] the air," the police report read. "Next Royalty was sutured but began to swell around his removed testicle area. Due to the swelling, [Alvarez-Marrero] reopened Royalty and began to work in the area."

Authorities arrested Gonzalez who showed up while police were executing the search warrant at the apartment in Hialeah. She has been charged with animal cruelty and practicing medicine without a veterinary license, which is a felony.

Meanwhile, the woman's alleged partner remains at large. Marrero told police he would meet with them but never showed.

"This is something that is straight-out wrong and, once we find him, he will be punished for it," said Rodriguez.