A 27-year-old Northport man was arrested Tuesday on felony charges of animal cruelty.

Police say Jason Griffin let his 6-year-old Labrador Retriever Pit Bull mix starve to death while locked in his cage in a closet. Authorities say the dog, which may have lost up to 50 pounds, was found by the landlord and may have been dead for days before being discovered.

Griffin says he and his 7-year-old daughter were in Disney World at the time the dog died. Child Protective Services has removed the daughter from the father's custody. She is currently staying with grandparents. Griffin is due in court Wednesday.