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Florida man charged with abandoning dog on side of road during evacuation of Hurricane Milton

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Florida man charged with abandoning dog on side of road during evacuation of Hurricane Milton


The cruel Florida dog owner who left his pooch tied to a fence in flood waters on the side of a highway as Hurricane Milton barrelled down on the Sunshine State last week has been caught.

Giovanny Aldama Garcia was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony.

Garcia admitted to leaving the canine, a white Bull Terrier on Interstate 75 as he raced towards Georgia ahead of the storm.

“Jumbo” a white Bull Terrier was rescued by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper near I-75 last week ahead of Hurricane Milton. FHP Tampa

The 23-year-old told officials he left his dog “Jumbo” because he “couldn’t find anyone to pick the dog up,” according to Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez.

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Lopez blasted Garcia’s actions and asked for politicians to help change the current laws in place.

“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.”

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 calling for the dog.

Giovanny Aldama Garcia was arrested and charged with third-degree felony aggravated animal cruelty. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

When the canine was eventually found, the trembling dog growled and barked at Morales.

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“I don’t blame you,” the trooper according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Morales parked his patrol vehicle and trudged across a soggy field next to Interstate 75, rescuing the terrified animal as the water had risen past the dog’s legs.

The pooch was brought to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health.

The Leon County Humane Society stepped in to get the Bull Terrier to a foster home in Tallahassee and named him Trooper due to “how much he’s been through and to honor those who saved him” from the catastrophic storm.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called out the “unacceptable” actions by Garcia as he evacuated the storm’s eye.

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Morales parked his patrol vehicle and trudged across a soggy field next to Interstate 75, rescuing the terrified animal as the water had risen past the dog’s legs. FLHSMV/X

“When this poor dog was left out there,” DeSantis said, “We said … we’re going to nail you when we find out who did it. And that’s exactly what they’re doing here in Hillsborough County with State Attorney Lopez.”

“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,” DeSantis said at a news conference Tuesday.

The pooch was brought to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health before being brought to Tallahassee and renamed “Trooper.” Leon County Humane Society/Facebook

Garcia faces up to five years in prison for the felony and will not get the dog returned to him, Lopez said.

He was released from jail Tuesday on a $2,500 cash bond.

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Florida mom sparks fierce debate after allowing her kids to skip final week of school: ‘I don’t see the point’

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Florida mom sparks fierce debate after allowing her kids to skip final week of school: ‘I don’t see the point’


School’s out for summer a little early.

Patricia Horton, a mother of two in Florida, unapologetically pulled her kids out of the “last couple days” of school because she insisted there was no reason for them to go.

“I don’t see the point,” Horton shared in a viral TikTok video posted on May 22. “Most of the teachers would rather you keep your kids home anyway.”

Horton, whose children are 7 and 12, admitted her parenting style is very different from how she was raised.

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“My parents, they made me go to school every single day,” Horton added. “Every single day, all the way to the very last day of school every year.”

Horton revealed that her parents would only let her miss class due to a doctor’s appointment or if she was extremely sick.

The mom argued that kids aren’t learning during the final days of class and implied that they were being put to work cleaning the school.

“I have cleaned a lot of desks,” Horton revealed while talking about her childhood experience during the final days of school. “That is what we did the last week of school when I was a kid. We cleaned desks, and we cleaned classrooms, and I was a professional at cleaning desks.”

Patricia Horton doesn’t think kids need to attend the final days of school. TikTok/mrshorton87

“I’m not doing that with my kids,” Horton added. “Stay home, baby, it’s summertime. Time to go.” 

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Horton claimed the teachers have no problem with her decision.

“They always say, ‘It’s been great teaching your kid, and I hope you have a great summer,’” Horton told TODAY. “It’s never, ‘Oh no, you’re not going to come?’ They totally understand.”

Horton’s TikTok video on the topic went viral, sparking mixed reactions from teachers and parents. Irina Schmidt – stock.adobe.com

But Horton said she doesn’t force her kids to stay home and allows the duo the opportunity to attend classes.

“If my kids want to go to school, they are absolutely welcome to go,” Horton added. “If they want to stay home, I’m not going to make them go to school to sit there and maybe watch a movie.”

Horton received mixed reactions when she posed the question to her followers on how they handle the last week of school.

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“I’m a teacher, and I hate when kids miss the last few days of school,” one TikTok user wrote. “We as a class have been a family for several months. Kids and teachers would like to say goodbye.”

Some social media users claimed that kids should go so they can say ‘Goodbye” to their teachers and friends. ake1150 – stock.adobe.com

“My kids would be SO disappointed if they missed the last few days,” another mom commented. “Splash pad, movies, field day, auctions… all on the last days. That’s the fun stuff they’ve waited all year for.”

One mom even joked that she made her kids go because “that’s the last little bit of my break.”

Others agreed that there was no reason to require kids to attend class.

“As a teacher, we aren’t doing anything fun,” a user confessed. “Sorry, we have checklists we have to get done, such as cleaning, seeing what things need repairs, etc. We don’t have parties or anything like that. It’s just babysitting at that point.”

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“I did when they were in elementary,” another mom commented. “Middle School and High School don’t even take roll the last week. So they do not go.”





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NEXT Weather Alert: Strong to severe storms to hit South Florida

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NEXT Weather Alert: Strong to severe storms to hit South Florida



NEXT Weather Alert: Strong to severe storms to hit South Florida – CBS Miami

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Official Florida Panthers Website | Florida Panthers

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Official Florida Panthers Website | Florida Panthers


FloridaPanthers.com is the official Web site of the Florida Panthers. Florida Panthers and floridapanthers.com are trademarks of the Florida Panthers Hockey Club, Ltd. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks and NHL Draft name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2025 Florida Panthers Hockey Club, Ltd and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.



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