A Durham man was charged Friday with felony cruelty to animals after an investigation found he’d starved his dog to death.

Durham County sheriff’s deputies were first called on Nov. 12 to the home of 32-year-old Ishmael Rashem Kennedy at 514 Cecil St. A neighbor had reported that two dogs were tied to a fence and one appeared to be dead.

Investigators found three dogs at the house, according to a news release issued Saturday. One was dead, one was “in poor health and emaciated,” and a third was in a small kennel without food or water, the release said.

Sheriff’s deputies sent the dead dog to a veterinarian to determine how it died. They ordered Kennedy – who told them he’d been trying to nurse the dogs back to health – to seek medical care and vaccinations for the other two dogs. When they returned four days later, investigators said Kennedy had given the dogs to a relative instead of getting them medical attention. He was issued several citations for failing to vaccinate the dogs and get veterinary care.

The sheriff’s department isn’t sure where the dogs are now.

“I received the necropsy report about two weeks later, and the results confirmed that Kennedy’s dog died as a result of starvation,” Deputy W.L. Pinner said in the news release. “With the official results in hand, I immediately obtained a warrant for Kennedy’s arrest.”

Kennedy was released from the Durham County Jail Friday on $13,000 bond.