Florida has some of the strongest animal cruelty laws in the country — yet enforcement remains alarmingly inconsistent. Across multiple counties, serious cases of abuse and neglect have been dropped, downgraded, or met with minimal penalties, even when clear evidence and confessions exist.

This lack of prosecution not only fails the victims but undermines public trust in our justice system. The Animal Justice Task Force is calling on Florida’s State Attorneys to prosecute animal cruelty cases to the fullest extent of the law and treat them with the seriousness they deserve.

We invite advocates, voters, and public officials to stand with us in demanding accountability and consistent enforcement.

 
Cases Ignored or Dismissed:

• Giovanni Almada Garcia (Hillsborough County): Admitted to abandoning his dog “Trooper” on the highway during a hurricane. Charges dropped.
• Roger Elder (Pasco County): Confessed to intentionally running over a dog named Chase and killing him. Charges dropped.
•  Johnny Davis (Hillsborough County): Dragged a dog behind his truck for nearly a mile and left it to die. Charges dropped.
• Christian Nichols (Pinellas County) videotaped himself sexually abusing his Husky while dressed in a Husky outfit. Other videotapes found. He admitted guilt. Sentence: Probation
• SPCA Tampa Bay: Convicted of animal cruelty in county court by Pinellas County Animal Services. No criminal charges filed.

Some of the Cases We’re Watching (there are many more):

• Daniel Kujawa (Hillsborough County): Caught on video beating his dog and cat. Facing felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges. Trial will be in January.
• Gabriel Martinez (Palm Beach County): Charged with five counts of felony animal cruelty after viciously beating his roomate's dog “Gypsy” with a trailer hitch.
• Alexza Ramos Keishawna Mass (Brevard County): Starved their dog to death
• Alison Agatha Lawrence (Orange County): Drowned her dog in the airport bathroom. 
• Eric Ivan Roldan (Swannee County): Beat a puppy so bad, he is disfigured. 

 
Our Message:
Florida’s animal cruelty laws are strong—but meaningless if prosecutors won’t use them. We call on all Florida State Attorneys to stop minimizing these crimes and start seeking justice for the voiceless victims who depend on us.

Please sign and share to demand real accountability and stronger enforcement of Florida’s animal protection laws.