PETITION TARGET: State Attorney for the Tenth Judicial Circuit
More than a dozen dogs were found starving to death, wasting away, and imprisoned in small cages — most without food and water — at two Florida properties. Five innocent dogs died as a result of this apparent neglect, according to Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO).
Police were first called to a home in Davenport by a concerned witness who saw caged dogs looking unwell. Upon further investigation, the PCSO animal cruelty unit discovered 11 severely emaciated dogs with protruding ribs – including two who had died and begun to decompose.
Some of the dogs were so weak from the apparent neglect they were unable to support their own weight, according to the PCSO. Although all of the surviving dogs were rushed to receive care, it was ultimately too late for three — who tragically died.
“The horrific abuse and neglect that these animals suffered is too awful for words and the photos don’t even adequately describe how much pain these dogs were in, not to mention the conditions, sights, and smells that our detectives were exposed to,” PCSO Sheriff Grady Judd said.
When authorities arrested the dogs’ guardian at his home in Kissimmee, they rescued seven other neglected dogs — including six who were also locked in crates without access to food, water, or fresh air. The man faces 17 charges related to the mistreatment of animals, including 15 felonies for animal cruelty.
These dogs deserved a loving home and a life where they could run and play. The deceased dogs will never have a chance to experience that joy. The rescued dogs likely face a long healing process as they recover from the heartbreaking malnourishment and trauma they were reportedly forced to endure.
Please sign this petition to urge the State Attorney for the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Florida to prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law — ensuring that the person responsible can never subject another animal to the painfully slow deaths that many of these dogs appear to have suffered.
