Man who left dog tied to pole in Florida during Hurricane Milton faces felony charges, State Attorney says

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The owner of Trooper, who was found tied to a pole during Hurricane Milton, will be charged with aggravated animal cruelty charges, according to State Attorney Susan Lopez.

While speaking at a news conference at the Falkenburg Road Jail Assembly Room, Lopez and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said crimes committed before and after Hurricane Milton will not be tolerated.

Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, of Ruskin, will be charged with aggravated animal cruelty, which is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. According to the State Attorney’s Office, Garcia told police he abandoned his dog “Jumbo” while on his way to Georgia because he “couldn’t find anyone to pick the dog up.”

Garcia reportedly showed up at the Hillsborough County Animal Shelter on Friday and showed pictures of the dog to claim ownership, according to an affidavit from the Florida Highway Patrol. Garcia’s information was passed on to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, where the dog was taken.

Garcia said that if the foster would take care of the dog and love it, he would surrender ownership, according to the affidavit.

“In Hillsborough County, we take animal cruelty very seriously,” Lopez said in a statement. “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.”

“On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, a dog, now known as Trooper, was found abandoned in flood waters up to his chest on Interstate-75 in Tampa while many residents were evacuating before Hurricane Milton,” said Dave Kerner, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. “Based upon a subsequent criminal investigation, State Troopers secured and executed a felony arrest warrant yesterday on Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, of Ruskin, Florida, for aggravated animal cruelty. Our agency is grateful for the unprecedented support of State Attorney Suzy Lopez and her prosecutors, particularly during a state of emergency. The criminal investigation is active and ongoing and additional information is unavailable at this time.”

Lopez also called on state lawmakers to make aggravated animal cruelty a crime that can have punishments enhanced during emergencies.

Another case the governor highlighted involved a Hillsborough County man arrested Sunday after he allegedly tried stealing a generator powering one of the county’s traffic lights.

• Buccaneers to join Feeding Tampa Bay for Hurricane Milton relief
• Polk County schools to reopen Wednesday
• Hudson’s Furniture donates $100k in furniture to families hit by Hurricane Milton

You can watch the news conference in the video player above.

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