After Florida Highway Patrol rescued an abandoned dog tied to a fence from Hurricane Milton’s floodwaters, its alleged owner is now facing a misdemeanor charge.
Law enforcement officials in Florida located and arrested the suspected owner, Giovanny Aldama Garcia.
Garcia, a 23-year-old from Florida, allegedly tied the animal to a pole along Interstate 75, a designated evacuation route, on Oct. 9, the same day the storm made landfall. A police statement obtained by TODAY.com accuses Garcia of abandoning the dog as the hurricane approached. He now faces a misdemeanor charge of animal abandonment.
Police body camera footage of the abandoned dog sparked outrage and concern on social media after Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers shared images of the distressed dog tied to a pole, chest deep in floodwaters.
Shortly after being rescued, the dog was taken to Leon County Humane Society, a shelter in Tallahassee, Florida.
Three days later, on October 11, a separate shelter, Hillsborough County Animal Shelter, reported that Garcia had visited the shelter to pick up the dog, but it was being held at another shelter.
Later, the owner filed paperwork to transfer ownership of the dog to the facility, on the condition that the current foster parent would “take good care of the dog and love him.”
“Due to the circumstances and the extreme danger and risk of death caused by the defendant to the dog, the defendant’s actions caused excessive, unnecessary pain and suffering to the dog,” the affidavit said.
The Leon County Humane Society is keeping its followers on Facebook updated on the recovery of the dog, which they have named Trooper.
“His name is Trooper because of how much he has been through and to honor those who saved him,” the shelter explained in a post on Facebook.
In an Oct. 11 update, the shelter had received dozens of questions about Trooper’s adoption, but emphasized their desire to help him heal as a priority.
“He needs time to decompress in the foster home so we can match him with the best possible fit so he has the best transition to his forever home,” the shelter explained.
The criminal investigation is active and ongoing.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
