TAMPA, Fla. – A man has been arrested and his dog, who troopers say was tied to a pole on I-75 in belly-deep water ahead of Hurricane Milton, is safe in Tallahassee.
On Tuesday, State Attorney Suzy Lopez announced that Giovanny Aldama Garcia has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony, after investigators say he admitted to leaving his dog on Interstate 75 as he evacuated to safety during Hurricane Milton.
“Criminals face harsher penalties, as a matter of fact, during a state of emergency, which we were in last week, and we are in now,” Lopez said. “They will face the music.”
Giovanny Aldama Garcia mugshot. Courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The Florida Highway Patrol says a trooper got a tip from a driver about the animal on the side of the road and searched relentlessly until he saw the dog tied up. The dog was in water that was rising to his neck as Hurricane Milton approached the area.
Bodycam video shows the trooper approaching the barking dog telling him it’s okay.
Lopez said Aldama Garcia told investigators that he was driving to Georgia to escape the hurricane but left his dog “Jumbo” on the side of the road because he couldn’t find anyone to pick the dog up.
The dog, who has since been named ‘Trooper’ in honor of his rescuer, was taken to a vet and given a clean bill of health.
He was then taken to the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center.
In a post on social media, the Leon County Humane Society stated that despite rumors circulating online, the dog is in its care and was not reunited with his owner.
The Leon County Humane Society said ‘Trooper’ did stop at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center but was not chipped and was not reunited with anyone. Image is courtesy of the Leon County Humane Society.
It went on to say that the trooper who rescued ‘Trooper’ went back to the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center to pick up the dog and help get him transferred to Tallahassee.
According to the LCHS, since ‘Trooper’ was released to the same person who brought him in, he was mistakenly listed as returned to his owner, and later updated as transferred to law enforcement. The animal shelter said it confirmed that the original owner did not come forward.
LCHS said it was contacted by the governor’s office last Wednesday and picked him up from the Department of Emergency Services because of the damage Hurricane Milton was expected to cause in the Bay Area.
‘Trooper’ is decompressing at the Leon County Humane Society after being found tied to a pole ahead of Hurricane Milton. Image is courtesy of the Leon County Humane Society.
The animal shelter said ‘Trooper’ is stressed and decompressing, adding that it has no idea what the dog’s life looked like before he was abandoned.
According to shelter officials, ‘Trooper’ will be in foster care until they feel he is ready for the next phase of his life.
“In Hillsborough County, we take animal cruelty very seriously,” Lopez said. “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.”
Lopez noted that ‘Trooper’ would not be returned to Aldama Garcia.
