Cruel owner who abandoned dog during Hurricane Milton claims he ‘couldn’t find anyone’ to help pick it up

TAMPA, FLORIDA: Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 23, from Ruskin, Florida, has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty for abandoning his dog during Hurricane Milton.

The dog, a white bull terrier now named "Trooper," was found tied to a fence with water rising up to his stomach along I-75 in Tampa on October 9.

Florida man admits he tied up dog before evacuating for Milton

Garcia admitted he left the white bull terrier, on Interstate 75 as he raced to evacuate for Georgia before the hurricane hit the area. 

Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez revealed the 23-year-old said he left his dog, Jumbo, because he “couldn’t find anyone to pick the dog up."

Jumbo(now Trooper) was found after a driver flagged down Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales, who “diligently searched” for the dog.

Morales drove a quarter-mile south and used a portable speaker to call for the dog.

Public outcry sparks legal action after dog abandoned during Hurricane Milton

Trooper's situation gained widespread attention after the Florida Highway Patrol shared a viral video on social media, showing him tied to a post with a caption urging pet owners: "Do NOT do this to your pets please..."

The footage sparked outrage and underscored the dangers of neglecting animals during severe weather, according to the New York Post.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the situation in a press conference, stating, “You don’t just tie up a dog and have them out there for a storm. Totally unacceptable, and we’re going to hold you accountable.”

He emphasized that Garcia could face up to five years in prison for this third-degree felony.

The case will be prosecuted by  Lopez, who emphasized, “We take animal cruelty very, very seriously in Hillsborough County. We protect our most vulnerable citizens: elderly, children, and our four-legged friends.”

She asserted, “You don’t get away with doing what this man did in Hillsborough County, not under my watch.”

Legal proceedings and Trooper's path to a forever home

Garcia was arrested on Monday and released the next day on a $2,500 cash bond.

According to the criminal report affidavit, he initially tried to retrieve Trooper from the Hillsborough County Animal Shelter two days after the rescue, presenting pictures to prove ownership.

When contacted by the Leon County Animal Shelter, which had taken in the dog, he reportedly stated that if Trooper was being well cared for, he would surrender ownership.

Trooper is currently in a foster home in Tallahassee with the Leon County Humane Society, where he is awaiting adoption.

Governor DeSantis commented that Trooper will eventually find a new forever home, stating, "We said at the time, you don't just tie up a dog and have them out there for a storm, totally unacceptable, and we're going to hold you accountable."