Man who left dog tied to fence amid Hurricane Milton charged with animal cruelty

The man who left his dog tied to a fence on a highway ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall in Florida has been arrested. On October 9, a male bull terrier was rescued by Highway Patrol Troopers on Interstate 75 in Tampa. The abandoned dog's rescue video quickly went viral on social media, with netizens calling for the arrest of its owner. However, Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, of Ruskin, was charged with animal cruelty on Monday.

Owner of dog abandoned on highway amid Hurricane Milton arrested for animal cruelty

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis condemned Garcia's actions during a press conference at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. “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,” he said.

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DeSantis went on to state that following its rescue, the dog had since been named Trooper. Calling its owner's actions “totally unacceptable,” DeSantis shared that Trooper is now awaiting adoption in Tallahassee. “We said you’d be held accountable, and you will be held accountable,” he continued.

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Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), said in a statement shared on X: “Based upon a subsequent criminal investigation, State Troopers secured and executed a felony arrest warrant yesterday on Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, of Ruskin, Florida, for aggravated animal cruelty.”

“Our agency is grateful for the unprecedented support of State Attorney Suzy Lopez and her prosecutors, particularly during a state of emergency. The criminal investigation is active and ongoing and additional information is unavailable at this time,” Kerner added.

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