Kevin James Gdowik of 2808 West 23rd Street in Lehigh Acres was arrested this morning in connection with the starvation of two pet dogs left in his care on two counts each of cruelty and unlawful confinement to animals.
The investigation began when Lee County Domestic Animal Services received multiple complaints in late January of 2012. As a result, an officer responded to Gdowik’s home and inpsected three dogs. Two were identified as belonging to Gdowik, the third a friend’s. His two dogs were healthy and clean, whereas the third, named Oreo, was emaciated, had a skin condition over 50% of its body, was covered in fleas and had an oozing, quarter-sized wound on its right leg. Oreo was taken by the officer to get treated by a licensed vetrinarian. Gdowik was issued 7 citations for various violations.
Further inquiry by the officer revealed Gdowik had agreed to care for Oreo and a second dog named Hershey after the friend had moved out. The pets had been living alone with him for several months. Hershey had reportedly died.
Due to the circumstances, Lee County Domestic Animal Services notified the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and a detective was assigned to conduct a criminal investigation beginning in February. As the case moved forward, on March 8, 2012, the remains of Hershey were recovered from an empty lot next to Gdowik’s residence, where the dog had been buried. Statements from witnesses and a vetrinary pathologist confirmed both dogs had been starved and abandoned. The case clearly showed Gdowik had provided necessary care to his own animals, but did not feed or provide sufficient exercise and required care for Oreo and Hershey. The starvation and associated health problems resulting in death to Hershey, and pain and suffering to Oreo, were consistent with criminal acts under Florida law.
Gdowik is currently in the Lee County Jail pending first appearance.
First off i have something tosay about this!! this is so so wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this man did nothing but try to help out his friend by allowing her tolive in his home with her 2 kids!!!!!!!!!!! the poor dogs belonged to that female… ahe never ever took care of them..never fed them.. or her kids for that matter…i know because her kids aremy grand babies!!!!!!!!!!!! and dcf was called many times . for the danger the babies was put in.. no food never had baths . etc. one of the kids was beat by a damn belt i reported it had proof etc.. the DCF worker let it all slide there fore the kids stayed in danger!!!!!!!!! and to this day they still are!!!n its very sad when my hubby and i have takin care of these kids from day 1 no1 would listen. to us or even talk to the kidS!!!!!!!!!!!!! made it out as if I WAS A LIAR!!!!!!!!!!! THE KIDS HAVE A VOICE…MY GRAND BABIES LIVED IN PURE FILTH…… WELL I KNOW FOR A FACT THE 2N KIDSWAS TOLD BY THEIR MOTHER DONT TELL THE DCF WORKER ANYTHING CAUSE YOU WILL GO TO JAIL NOW WE ARE TALKIN ABOUT 2 KIDS WHO WAS AGES 4 AND 3 AT THE TIME.. NOW THEY ARE 5 AND 6….. AND I WAS TOLD BY DETECTIVE AND DCF AWWW KIDS THAT AGE CANT TALK.. I DONT KNOW WHERE THEY GOT THATB FROMBUT KIDS ARE ABLE TO TALK.. AND HAVEA VOICE SOME1 SHOULD LISTEN!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE BEEN PROTECTIN THE KIDS FROM DAY ONE… SUPPORTIN THEM AND ALL..AND WELL THERES A VIDEO FROM THE NEWS THAT SHOWS THE ROOM THE DOGSWAS KEPT IN.. WELL GUESS WHAT SOME WAS THE 2 BABIES!!!!!!!!!! NO1 HELPED THEM .. NOW THIS HAs happen with the poor dogs and every1 wants to do something now!!!!!!!!!!!1 but did nottttttttttt help my grand baBIES!!!!!!!!!! BREAKS MY HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT GIRL WHO OWNED THEM DOGS UP AND LEFT IN JUNE DID NOT CARE ABOUT THE DOGS…. AND THERES PROOF THAT THIS MAN BEGGED FOR HER TOTAKE THE DOGS HE COULDNT DO IT ALONE…SHE WAS HOME ALL DAY HE WORKED DAY AND NIGHT 2 OR 3 JOBS… ITS WRONG SORRY BUT IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!! GO LOOK AT THE VIDEO… THATS WHERE MY GRAND BABIES LIVED AND SLEPT!!!!!!!!! ON FLOOR….. THEY USED THIS MAN OVER AND OVER!!!!!!!!!1 ASA MATTER OF FACT THAT GIRL WITH THE KIDS LIVED IN MY HOME 3 TIMES… SHE LEFT THE ROOM SO NASTY U HAD TO WEAR A MASK TO EVEN CLEANIT UP.. SHE ALSO HAD A CAT.. SHE LEFT THE POOR CAT TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CALLED ANIMAL CONTROL.. IT WAS AWFUL……. WHEN SHE WAS NOT SUPOSE TO HAVE ANIMALS PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHELIED AND SNUCK THE CAT IN…. IMSORRY BUT IM A VERY UPSET GRANDMA… AND INEED TOPROTECT THE 2 KIDS AND SOME1 NEEDS TOLISTEN FOR ONCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!