Man charged with animal cruelty over dog abandoned and tied up ahead of Hurricane Milton

The former owner of a dog that was discovered abandoned and chained to a fence just hours ahead of Hurricane Milton, was arrested by Florida authorities on Tuesday and charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty. 

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed accountability last week for pet owners who left their animals tied up outside ahead of the hurricane, after Florida Highway Patrol in Tampa reported that it rescued a dog that was tied up on an interstate. 

The dog's former owner, Giovanny Aldama Garcia, admitted that he abandoned his dog "Jumbo," a bull terrier, while he was evacuating to Georgia because of the hurricane. Garcia said he abandoned the animal because he could not find anyone to pick the dog up.

“In Hillsborough County, we take animal cruelty very seriously," State Attorney Suzy Lopez said in a news release. "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 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."

The dog, now renamed Trooper after the Florida trooper who found him, is now in foster care in Tallahassee and will be put up for adoption, according to Fox News.

The Leon County Humane Society said it has already received hundreds of inquiries about Trooper.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.