A Florida man who authorities say admitted to leaving his dog tied to the side of a highway as Hurricane Milton approached the state has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony.
Giovanna Aldama Garcia, 23, of Ruskin was arrested Monday and faces up to five years in prison after his dog Jumbo was found abandoned in chest-deep water earlier this month in Tampa following evacuation efforts.
“Honestly, I don’t think this is enough,” State Attorney Suzy Lopez said in a statement about the sentence Aldama Garcia faces if convicted. “We hope lawmakers will look into this matter and discuss changing the law to allow for tougher penalties for people who abandon animals during the state of emergency.”
The dog, named Trooper, was placed in the care of a foster family.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Jail records show Aldama Garcia was released on $2,500 bail on Tuesday. He did not have a designated attorney to represent him.
Aldama Garcia told investigators he was driving to Georgia to escape an approaching storm and left his bull terrier along Interstate 75 “because he couldn’t find anyone to pick up the dog,” Lopez’s office said in a news release.
Lopez’s office said State Trooper Orlando Morales received a tip from a passing driver and searched the roadway for the dog while a state of emergency was in effect in Hillsborough County. Video published later on social media shows him finding a dog tied to a fence, barking, with stormwater flowing around him.
Two days later, Aldama Garcia allegedly tried to retrieve the dog from a local animal shelter, showing employees photos as proof of its ownership, ABC News reports, citing a copy of the criminal affidavit.
According to the statement, he agreed to give up ownership, but on the condition that the foster carer “will take good care of the dog and love it.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, speaking at a news conference Tuesday, condemned the man’s actions and said the dog, since renamed Trooper, is currently in a foster home in Tallahassee.
State’s Attorney Suzy Lopez is seen with Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales, who is credited with rescuing the dog.
“You can’t just tie up a dog and leave it out in the storm. Completely unacceptable,” the voivode said. “We said you will be held accountable and you will be held accountable.”
The Leon County Humane Society confirmed Tuesday that Trooper is being cared for.
“Trooper is in foster care with a wonderful family with breeding experience,” the organization said in a statement. “In this house he will continue to rest and enjoy all the good things in life. His adoptive parents will learn more about him and have his best interests in mind.”