Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man is facing animal mistreatment charges stemming from an incident in May.

A criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County Court states that on the afternoon of May 15, a Rochester police officer responded to a report of a loose animal in southeast Rochester and found a dog barely able to stand, nearly falling over and swaying. The officer observed that the dog appeared to be severely malnourished, with ribs and multiple bones showing.

The court document says a witness told the officer that she came upon the dog stumbling in the grass. Another witness identified 25-year-old Frederick Anthony Douglas as the owner of the dog.

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When contacted by police, the criminal complaint says Douglas confirmed that he was the owner and stated he had planned to euthanize the dog. Instead, Douglas told police he released the dog but could not remember the exact location.

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The dog was taken to a veterinarian for care, and the court document says the veterinarian noted it was severely underweight and had difficulty swallowing food and water, which indicated the dog had not been fed or given water properly. The charges allege that when contacted by the veterinarian, Douglas admitted to not feeding or watering the dog.

He has been charged with two gross misdemeanor counts of animal mistreatment involving deprivation of food and abandonment.