Following an extensive investigation, Butler County police have arrested a man accused of deserting a three-year-old dog in a wire cage, leaving the poor animal to slowly die of starvation.

When a postal worker found the skeletal remains of the Cane Corso puppy in an abandoned motel parking lot in Liberty Township, Ohio, he instantly knew the dog had been severely neglected, leading to the innocent creature’s painful and needless death.

“From looking at the animal, you can literally see every bone in [his] body,” lead dog warden Kurt Merbs told WLWT.

Sheriff Richard K Jones says that a tip has now led to the apprehension of Clarence Thomas Jr., who has been charged with abandoning animals and prohibitions concerning companion animals. The accused is being held in the Butler County Jail.

“We posted this case on social media to get the word out that not only were we looking for the subject responsible for this heinous act,” Jones said in a release, “but to let offenders know, you can run, but you cannot hide.”

The arrest follows a Lady Freethinker petition urging authorities to find the suspect. Huge thanks to all of you who have signed — and thank you, law enforcement, for finding this dog’s killer.  Now, we must keep speaking out to ensure this case ends in justice. If you haven’t, please sign to ensure the guilty party is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, including a life-long ban on having animals.

SIGN: Justice for Dog Abandoned in Wire Cage to Die