Fleeing Floridian Charged With Leaving Dog Tied Up

UPDATE Oct 16, 2024 12:30 AM CDT

A man accused of leaving his dog tied to a fence in Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty. Authorities say Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, admitted he abandoned his dog along a highway as he evacuated. If convicted of the felony charge, he could face up to five years behind bars, NBC News reports. The dog, now called Trooper after being rescued by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, is in the care of the Leon County Humane Society with a foster family and will not be returned to Garcia, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

Oct 9, 2024 3:50 PM CDT

More than 5.5 million Floridians were urged to evacuate Florida's western coast, per the New York Times—and they better have taken their dogs with them or otherwise arranged care for them, warned Gov. Ron DeSantis Wednesday. That wasn't the case for one dog, who was tied to a fence and abandoned alongside I-75 near Tampa Wednesday morning, reports WFLA. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper spotted the dog and freed it, prompting a thank you on X from DeSantis, who added, "It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm. FL will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable."

FHP Tampa shared a video on X that showed the dog in standing water that nearly reached its chest. As the trooper approached, the dog gave some sharp barks, prompting the trooper to reply, "I don't blame you, I don't blame you, it's OK, buddy, it's OK." The X post noted, "Do NOT do this to your pets please..." The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said on X that the rescued dog "is safe and receiving care. Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health." (More animal cruelty stories.)