The former owner of a small dog who was tied to a pole off a major highway as Hurricane Milton swept through Florida has been identified and charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
Heartbreaking video saw the white pup with black ears terrified and growling as he stood in water up to his chest as police rescued the canine.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez announced that the dogs former owner has been identified as Giovanny Garcia.
Garcia admitted to leaving his dog which he named Jumbo on I-75 as he was evacuating to Georgia because he couldn’t find anyone to pick up the pup, reported WWSB.
‘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 got a tip about the animal and found him in grassy area on the side of I-75 near Bruce B Downs Boulevard near Tampa.
‘It’s OK, buddy, it’s OK,’ the officer could be heard saying as the dog tried to back away. ‘It’s OK, it’s OK!’
As the Morales approached the dog and realized it was stuck, it began to growl as the small animal stood in water up to his chest.
Despite multiple attempts to comfort the dog, it just kept growling and wolfing.
‘I don’t blame you,’ the officer said. ‘It’s OK, buddy, it’s OK.
Eventually the dog was taken into safety and given a clean bill of health from a veterinarian.
Leon County Humane Society staff renamed the dog Trooper for ‘how much he’s been through’ and ‘to honor those who saved him,’ the told WTSP.
‘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 holding the dogs abuser accountable.
‘We had somebody decide as Hurricane Milton approach 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.’