A man has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty after allegedly tying his dog to a pole near a major highway during Hurricane Milton as it hit Florida. In a heartbreaking video, a white puppy with black ears was seen terrified and growling while standing in water up to its chest, until police arrived and rescued the pet.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez confirmed that the dog's former owner has been identified as Giovanny Garcia. Garcia admitted that he abandoned his dog, whom he named Jumbo, on I-75 while evacuating to Georgia because he couldn't find anyone to take care of the puppy during the deadly Hurricane Milton, according to WWSB.
Sheer Cruelty to an Innocent Animal
"In Hillsborough County, we take animal cruelty very seriously. This defendant is charged with a felony and could face up to five years in prison for his actions," Lopez said.
"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."
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales received a tip about the animal and located it in a grassy spot along I-75 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Tampa.
"It's OK, buddy, it's OK," the officer can eb heard saying as the dog tried to back away. "It's OK, it's OK!"
As Morales approached the dog and noticed it was trapped, the small animal began to growl while standing in water that reached up to its chest.
Rescuing the Pet
Despite several efforts to reassure the dog, it continued to growl and snap. "I don't blame you," the officer remarked. "It's OK, buddy, it's OK."
Eventually, the dog was brought to safety and received a clean bill of health from a veterinarian.
The dog was renamed Trooper by the Leon County Humane Society staff for "how much he's been through" and "to honor those who saved him," WTSP reported.
"We can't imagine the situation that ended with him tied to this pole and left him without any hope. It's hard even to think about how scared he must have been as cars raced by, the water rose to his belly, and the storm clouds darkened."
Governor Ron DeSantis praised the trooper for his rescue efforts and applauded the state attorney for ensuring that the dog's abuser is held accountable. "We had somebody decide as Hurricane Milton approached that it would somehow be a good thing to take his dog and chain it to a post on the interstate," DeSantis said.
"We said you would be held accountable and you will be held accountable."
