By admin Governor Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that authorities have opened a criminal case against the owner of a bull terrier that was abandoned and tied to a pole on Interstate 75 before Hurricane Milton made landfall. The rescued dog was safe with a new foster family.
Newly filed court records solve the mystery of how the dog – who became a social media star after being rescued during a hurricane – ended up on the side of a road in Tampa.
Its owner was identified in court records as Giovanna Aldama Garcia23 years old, from Ruskin, south of Tampa, charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. Aldama Garcia, an employee of the solar company, did not immediately respond to phone messages.
He was arrested Monday at a rented home in Ruskin and released Tuesday after posting a $2,500 bond from the Hillsborough County Jail. Court records show Aldama Garcia showed up at the Tampa County Animal Shelter to try to retrieve his dog a day after he was found abandoned along the interstate.
“We said you will be held accountable and you will be held accountable,” DeSantis said.
Investigators said Aldama Garcia owned the dog, which he named Jumbo because it was a puppy, and had been trying unsuccessfully to get rid of it for weeks. “He couldn’t handle the dog,” the arrest report says.
State Attorney, Suzy Lopezsaid Tuesday that Trooper touched the hearts of Hillsborough County residents and she wanted to protect the county’s most vulnerable citizens, including her so-called “four-legged friends.”
“The fact that someone could tie their dog to a pole on the interstate while we’re facing a Category 5 hurricane is absolutely unbelievable to me as a dog owner and lover can imagine,” Lopez said.
Court records show that Aldama Garcia’s mother, Mabel García GomezA 53-year-old man stopped his car on I-75 Wednesday while evacuating his family to Georgia ahead of heavy rain ahead of the hurricane, letting his dog out of the vehicle. Aldama Garcia said he last saw the dog in standing water and left it.
Meanwhile, according to the Humane Society’s office, the dog – renamed Trooper after the Florida Highway Patrol officer who rescued him – was living safely in a foster home in the Tallahassee area. A photograph was provided of what appeared to be a happy, panting dog with a rubber toy between its paws.
The Humane Society says Trooper’s new foster family, who has not been identified, will have the first opportunity to adopt him if he is a good match. The family learned about Trooper’s preferences and helped him feel comfortable and confident.
Investigators said Aldama Garcia saw photos of the abandoned dog on social media and initially wanted to get it back, but then changed his mind when he learned the dog was in a foster home in Leon County.
“When he learned the dog was in foster care, he gave it up because someone else could give it a better life,” the arrest report reads.
The highway patrol concluded that Aldama Garcia’s actions unnecessarily jeopardized the dog’s safety. He was described as showing no emotion when he learned the dog was still alive.
“Due to the circumstances and the extreme danger and risk of death caused by the defendant to the dog, the defendant’s actions resulted in excessive, unnecessary infliction of pain and suffering on the dog,” court records read. “Furthermore, the defendant stated that he never notified anyone that the dog had been left on the interstate during the hurricane evacuation. The defendant continued to travel to Georgia to safety.”
Highway Patrol found a dog tied to a pole in standing water. The agency posted a video on social media showing a black and white dog stranded in an area where water almost covered its legs due to flooding.
“DO NOT do this to your pets,” the patrol said.
The highway patrol arranged for the dog to be examined by a veterinarian and then transported him to Leon County, where the Humane Society said he was “extremely stressed and continued to decompress” during the first few days of his hospital stay.
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This article was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida’s Department of Journalism and Communication. The reporter can be contacted at: (email protected). You can make a donation to support our students Here.
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