A 23-year-old man has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony, after footage of his abandoned dog went viral just before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida.
Giovanny Aldama Garcia, from Ruskin in Hillsborough County, faces up to five years in prison after Florida Highway Patrol troopers rescued his dog, a male bull terrier, on October 9th.
The dog, now named Trooper, was discovered tethered to a fence in the rain along Interstate 75 in Tampa before the devastating hurricane hit. Garcia told investigators that he fled to Georgia to escape the storm and left the dog behind because he couldn’t find anyone to care for him.
The viral video, which has garnered over 11 million views, shows Trooper with about a third of his body submerged in rising floodwaters. Florida State Trooper Orlando Morales, who rescued the dog, received a tip from a driver and searched diligently until he found the animal. By the time Morales reached the dog, water had risen to the animal’s neck, with Hurricane Milton fast approaching. Fortunately, Trooper is now safe and in foster care.
Shockingly, the defendant reportedly went to the Hillsborough County animal shelter and showed pictures of his dog in an effort to reclaim ownership.
“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. Quite frankly, I don’t think that is enough. Hopefully, lawmakers will take a look at this case and consider changing the law to allow for harsher penalties for people who abandon their animals during a state of emergency,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
