Florida man who tied his dog to a pole and then abandoned him during Hurricane Milton is charged with a felony
Viral footage of law enforcement discovering the stranded dog near a highway led to mass calls for the owner to be identified and held accountable.
Rescue dog Trooper, pictured here, is now safe, recovering and up for adoption. Credit: Leon County Humane Society
Authorities have successfully identified and arrested a man accused of tying his dog to a post and abandoning the animal during evacuations for Hurricane Milton.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers first discovered the dumped dog on October 9th, shortly before the hurricane made landfall, after a driveby witness reported seeing a dog “in severe distress and trembling”.
In video footage of the rescue posted to social media by the troopers, the dog can be seen tied to a pole near to the highway.
“Do NOT do this to your pets please”, the troopers wrote alongside the video, which has been viewed over 12 million times. The shocking footage led to international coverage of the incident, with public and political calls for the owner to be identified and brought to justice.
Now, a 23-year-old man from Florida has been arrested in relation to the incident and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, reports AP News.
Giovanny Aldama Garcia, the dog’s former owner, reportedly told authorities that he abandoned the animal because he could not find anyone to look after him during the evacuations.
“We take this crime very seriously and this defendant will face the consequences of his actions,” State Attorney Suzy Lopez said in a news briefing following the arrest.
The charge of animal cruelty in this incident could lead to a sentence of up to five years in jail.
Mr Aldama Garcia was tracked down by authorities after he visited the shelter in Tampa which had taken in the rescued dog to claim him back. However, he later agreed to surrender the animal and for the dog to be put up for adoption.
A second chance for rescued dog Trooper
The abandoned five-year-old dog is reported to be recovering well from the ordeal, according to the Leon County Humane Society, which is caring for the animal after being contacted by the Governor's office of the Department of Emergency Services.
The bull terrier has been given the name Trooper, which the rescue centre says reflects “how much he’s been through” and also honor’s the troopers who saved him.
He is currently happily living with a new foster family, but there have already been “hundreds” of applications to adopt Trooper. The society says it will select a new owner who has breed experience and can offer a permanent home for Trooper to live the rest of his life.
The media attention on Trooper and his story has also led to the humane society issuing a public reminder on how adopting a companion animal can change lives.
“There have been so many people willing to step up to offer a home for Trooper, we want to make sure they know there are other dogs in shelters, over 3 million, across the US – each looking for their forever homes”, the society posted in a blog post, playfully titled Tell ‘Em Trooper Sent You. “We can’t help but stress that every single dog in shelters deserves just as much attention, love, and advocacy.”
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