Giovanny Aldama Garcia, Ruskin, Florida man identified as dog owner who chained pup to fence along Tampa’s I-75 ahead of encroaching Hurricane Milton, with the animal had it not been rescued facing almost certain death. Garcia charged with animal cruelty and could face 5 years jail.
A former dog owner who left his pup tied to a fence post along a Florida highway in encroaching floodwaters ahead of Hurricane Milton landfall has been identified and charged with animal cruelty, officials announced on Tuesday.
Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, of Ruskin, is alleged to have left the animal chained and stranded as the massive storm made its way along a fence off Interstate 75 in Tampa on October 9. The canine was found as residents were evacuating the area ahead of the encroaching hurricane, State Attorney Suzy Lopez said in a release.
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
‘Do NOT do this to your pets please…’
Video showed (see below) the white pup with black ears terrified and growling as he stood in water up to his chest as police rescued the canine.
Garcia admitted to leaving his bull terrier-type dog which he named Jumbo on I-75 as he was evacuating to Georgia because he couldn’t find anyone to pick up the pup, WWSB reported.
‘In Hillsborough County, we take animal cruelty very seriously. This defendant is charged with a felony and could face up to five years in prison for his actions,’ Lopez said.
‘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.’
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales got a tip about the animal and found him in grassy area on the side of I-75 near Bruce B Downs Boulevard near Tampa.
In video shared by FHP Tampa on X, titled ‘Do NOT do this to your pets please…’ Morales is heard getting out of his patrol car and approaching the stranded dog.
‘It’s OK, buddy, it’s OK,’ the officer is heard saying as the dog tried to back away. ‘It’s OK, it’s OK!’
As the Morales approached the dog and realized it was stuck, it began to growl as the small animal stood in water up to his chest.
Despite multiple attempts to comfort the dog, it just kept growling and wolfing.
‘I don’t blame you,’ the officer said. ‘It’s OK, buddy, it’s OK.
Eventually the dog was taken into safety and given a clean bill of health from a veterinarian.
Dog owner makes bail on $2500
Video of the dog being shown stranded and eventually rescued led to many expressing relief along with despair and outrage that a dog owner could be callous and indifferent (many accused him as being sadistic) to an animal’s life, almost certainly knowing the dog faced almost certain death.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane later that day near Siesta Key and wreaked havoc throughout the state. There have been at least 23 deaths in Florida tied to Milton.
Aldama Garcia following his arrest on Monday was released Tuesday on $2,500 cash bond, according to online jail records.
‘Due to the circumstances, and the extreme danger and risk of death caused by the defendant to the dog, the defendant’s actions caused excessive unnecessary infliction of pain and suffering to the dog,’ the arrest affidavit stated.
Garcia’s arrest followed the man going to the Hillsborough County Animal Shelter to attempt to retrieve the dog, with the dog owner showing pictures as proof of ownership, according to the affidavit.
Abandoned dog placed in foster care
When the Leon County Animal Shelter, which had possession of the dog, contacted Aldama Garcia, he reportedly told the shelter that ‘if the current foster will take good care and love the dog, he will surrender ownership,’ the affidavit stated. Aldama Garcia filled out the required paperwork to surrender ownership, according to the affidavit.
Leon County Humane Society staff which initially took in the stranded canine renamed the dog Trooper for ‘how much he’s been through’ and ‘to honor those who saved him,’ the told WTSP.
‘We can’t imagine the situation that ended with him tied to this pole and left him without any hope. It’s hard even to think about how scared he must have been as cars raced by, the water rose to his belly, and the storm clouds darkened.’
In an update, the Human Society wrote on Tuesday night, ‘Trooper is in foster care with a wonderful family who has breed experience. In this home he will continue to decompress and enjoy all the good things in life. His foster parents will learn more about him and have his best interests at heart. Fosters have first opportunity to adopt, but if they find that their household isn’t ideal for Trooper, we’ll start looking for the perfect fit based on his foster’s recommendations.’
