In October 2024, during Hurricane Milton, Giovanni Almada Garcia admitted he and his mother pulled over on the interstate during the storm and abandoned their dog in rising floodwaters — leaving him to die.
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales later found the terrified dog, whom rescuers named Trooper, standing in deep water as the hurricane closed in.

Despite a full confession to leaving his dog behind during a declared state of emergency, the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office dropped all charges.

This is a clear violation of Florida Statute §828.13 – Abandonment of Animals, which makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to abandon an animal in any situation that places it in danger, injury, or death.

 
WHY THIS MATTERS:
Trooper’s story represents everything wrong with how animal cruelty and neglect cases are handled in Florida.
We have laws — but they mean nothing if prosecutors refuse to enforce them.
Leaving a dog to die in a hurricane is not an accident — it’s abandonment and neglect, pure and simple.

 
WHAT WE’RE DEMANDING:
We, the undersigned, call on the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office to:

Reopen the case against Giovanni Almada Garcia. 
File charges under Florida Statute §828.13 – Animal Abandonment.
Enforce the law equally for all animals and all offenders.
 
The public is watching.
Justice for Trooper isn’t just about one dog — it’s about demanding accountability and compassion from those sworn to uphold the law.

📜 Sign this petition to show that Florida’s citizens will not stand by while admitted animal abusers walk free.

More facts:

Garcia stated:

 

 

He further admitted that:

He and his mother drove away to safety in Georgia, leaving the dog to fend for himself in floodwaters.
He never notified anyone that the dog had been left behind.
He later saw online that the dog had been rescued but did not immediately report ownership.
Florida law (§828.13) clearly defines abandonment as leaving an animal in any place or condition that exposes it to injury, suffering, or death.
Leaving a dog on the roadside in floodwaters during a hurricane evacuation is the very definition of abandonment and criminal neglect.
This action caused extreme pain, suffering, and risk of death — all of which are punishable under Florida law.

Both State Attorney and Governor DeSantis stated Almada Garcia would face animal cruelty charges.

Question for both: What happened to enforcing the Florida animal cruelty laws?