Man Charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty After Abandoning Dog During Hurricane Milton

Man Charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty

Man Charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty After Abandoning Dog During Hurricane Milton

A man has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty after allegedly leaving his dog tied to a post in floodwaters as Hurricane Milton approached Florida. The dog was rescued by Highway Patrol officers on October 9, found standing in water up to his chest beside a wire fence.

The dog's former owner, 23-year-old Giovanny Aldama Garcia, was arrested on Monday. He reportedly told investigators that he abandoned the dog, originally named Jumbo, because he was evacuating Florida due to the storm and couldn’t find anyone to care for him.

After learning that his dog was being cared for at an animal shelter, Aldama Garcia attempted to reclaim him but ultimately agreed to surrender ownership. If convicted of animal cruelty, he could face up to five years in prison.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis remarked that leaving a dog tied up during a storm is “totally unacceptable” and announced that Jumbo, now renamed Trooper in honor of the officer who rescued him, would be adopted.

State Attorney Suzy Lopez noted that Trooper had “touched the hearts of a lot of people,” emphasizing that he would have faced “sure death” without the rescue. The Leon County Humane Society, which initially cared for Trooper before he entered foster care, reported receiving hundreds of inquiries about him.

Hurricane Milton made landfall last week as a Category 3 storm, resulting in widespread flooding and necessitating the rescue of thousands. The storm claimed at least 24 lives, according to official reports.

Man Charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty After Abandoning Dog During Hurricane Milton