Hurricanes bring out the worst behavior in the criminal elemental.
One man shocked the state with his actions during the storm.
And Florida arrested a bad criminal for this sick crime during the hurricane.
Florida man arrested for leaving a dog tied up by the highway before Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton caused millions of Florida residents to evacuate before the storm made landfall on the Gulf Coast.
A video went viral of a dog who was left to die as the storm was barreling toward the state.
Florida Highway Patrol found a trembling dog tied up in a pool of water up to its chest off Interstate I-75 in the Tampa area. I-75 was one of the main highways being used to evacuate, while Milton was on its way.
FHP Troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd this morning. Do NOT do this to your pets please… pic.twitter.com/8cZJOfkJL2
— FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) October 9, 2024
State troopers managed to retrieve the terrified dog and got him to an animal shelter in Tallahassee, Florida.
The bull terrier was given the name Trooper after his rescuers and is on his way to recovery before he is put up for adoption.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis put the person who tied up and abandoned Trooper on notice.
“You don’t just tie up a dog and have them out there for a storm. Totally unacceptable, and we’re going to hold you accountable,” DeSantis said at a news conference
Florida is a law and order state under DeSantis.
It did not take long for the authorities to catch the criminal who left Trooper for dead.
Animal cruelty charges for man who left dog tied up before hurricane
Giovanni Aldama Garcia, 23, was arrested for aggravated animal cruelty.
Hillsborough County Prosecutor Suzy Lopez said that Garcia could spend up to five years behind bars if he is convicted.
“Quite frankly, I don’t think that is enough,” Lopez said. “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.”
Garcia tried to recover his dog after seeing pictures go viral online of the rescue of the abandoned animal.
He went to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office where he was promptly arrested.
“The defendant told investigators he was driving to Georgia to escape the hurricane but left his dog ‘Jumbo’ on the side of the road because he couldn’t find anyone to pick the dog up,” the Hillsborough County prosecutor’s office said.
Garcia claimed that he had been looking for someone to adopt the dog before he abandoned it.
DeSantis gave an update after he vowed the criminal who left Trooper would be brought to justice.
“We said you’d be held accountable, and you will be held accountable,” DeSantis said.
“When this poor dog was left out there, we said… we’re going to nail you when we find out who did it. And that’s exactly what they’re doing here in Hillsborough County with State Attorney Lopez,” DeSantis explained. “You don’t just tie up a dog and have them out there for a storm. Totally unacceptable, and we’re going to hold you accountable.”
Trooper is going to get a new home and the criminal who left him to die will be held accountable.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
