Florida, United States

The man who left his dog stranded, tied to a fence on a highway ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall in Florida has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty.

Advertisment

On October 9, a male bull terrier was rescued by Highway Patrol Troopers on Interstate 75 in Tampa, Florida. The abandoned dog's rescue video quickly went viral on social media, with netizens calling for the arrest of its owner. 

Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, the owner of Ruskin, was charged with animal cruelty on Monday (Oct 14).

Also Read | TikToker thought Greek flags at Jersey restaurant were Israeli. So she tore them down

Advertisment

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis condemned the incident during a press conference at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, saying, “We said you’d [owner of the dog] be held accountable, and you will be held accountable.”

×

The dog had been named Trooper since his rescue. Calling its owner's actions “totally unacceptable,” DeSantis shared that Trooper is now awaiting adoption in Tallahassee. 

Advertisment

Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), said in a statement shared on X, “Based upon a subsequent criminal investigation, State Troopers secured and executed a felony arrest warrant yesterday on Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, of Ruskin, Florida, for aggravated animal cruelty.”

×

“Our agency is grateful for the unprecedented support of State Attorney Suzy Lopez and her prosecutors, particularly during a state of emergency. The criminal investigation is active and ongoing and additional information is unavailable at this time,” Kerner added.

Several attempts were made to reach Garcia through a phone number but remained unsuccessful, and there was no immediate response Tuesday night to an email to an address listed as his requesting comment. Calls made to numbers listed as his parents’ went unreturned. 

Also Read | US implements 'Click to Cancel' rule to combat subscription traps

Lopez said she doesn't think five years in prison is enough time and hopes 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."

According to the affidavit, Garcia said that if the dog's foster owner would take care of it and love it, he would give up ownership, WFLA reported.

(With inputs from agencies)