It appears justice is being served in the case of a dog left to die in rising floodwaters.
The dog was first spotted on Oct. 9 near Tampa, Florida, in the hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall in the state.
The animal was seen by a motorist and reported to authorities. A responding Florida Highway Patrol trooper frantically searched the area until he found the bull terrier tied to a fence and up to its chest in rising waters.
“FHP Troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd this morning,” the FHP wrote in a video post to social media platform X. “Do NOT do this to your pets please…”
FHP Troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd this morning. Do NOT do this to your pets please… pic.twitter.com/8cZJOfkJL2
— FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) October 9, 2024
The heinous treatment of this defenseless animal rocketed the story to viral status, and the state’s highest official soon confirmed a suspect had been identified and faced serious repercussions.
“There was obviously a lot of moving parts when this poor dog was left out there,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a Tuesday news conference, according to WPEC-TV.
“We said … there would be justice for that and we’re going to nail you when we find out who did it.”
Should animal cruelty laws be tougher on offenders?
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The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has identified the suspect as Giovanny Aldama Garcia.
Garcia, a 23-year-old from Ruskin, Florida, allegedly admitted to leaving the dog in a perilous condition as he fled the deadly and powerful storm.
Authorities say Garcia admitted to tying “Jumbo” up on the side of the road because he could not find anyone to take the dog. He was arrested on a felony aggravated animal cruelty charge, but was released after being posting a $2,500 bond.
“Jumbo” is now known as “Trooper,” an apparent nod to FHP trooper Orlando Morales, the law enforcement officer who refused to stop searching for the dog.
“Thank you to [Florida Highway Patrol] Trooper Morales for rescuing Trooper the dog during #HurricaneMilton,” State Attorney Suzy Lopez said. Lopez is prosecuting the case against Garcia.
Thank you to @FHPTampa Trooper Morales for rescuing Trooper the dog during #HurricaneMilton. He’s an animal lover and father to a rescue dog himself. Thank you for your dedication to all of our residents- including the four-legged ones. pic.twitter.com/8dfgwdXZGE
— State Attorney Suzy Lopez (@SuzyLopezSA) October 15, 2024
Lopez made it clear that she doesn’t consider this a minor case.
“In Hillsborough County, we take animal cruelty very seriously,” Lopez said, according to WWSB-TV. “This defendant is charged with a felony and could face up to five years in prison for his actions. Quite frankly, I don’t think that is enough.
“Hopefully, lawmakers take a look at this case and discuss changing the law to allow for harsher penalties for people who abandon their animals during a state of emergency.”
The Leon County Humane Society took in Trooper and said the dog is currently with a foster family while officials attempt to provide the animal with the best possible future.
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