On December 8, 2022 in Islamorada, Monroe County, FL, Diego Torres Ruiz was arrested on two charges pertaining to animal cruelty after a witness identified his vehicle in connection with and incident where two kittens were allegedly thrown from a moving car on November 28, 2022. 

Later that day, one kitten was found deceased and another was found alive, taken to Whiskers and Paws of Monroe County for care, then adopted by the witness that observed the kittens being thrown from Ruiz’s vehicle. 

The citizens of Monroe County are requesting that if convicted, “Ponce’s Law” is implemented during sentencing by the State Attorney’s Office  

The law increases a person's score on sentencing guidelines for felony animal cruelty from a Level 3 (16 points) to a Level 5 (28 points), bringing an offender closer to a prison term. The judge can also impose a ban on pet ownership for the convicted.

This petition is only for Monroe County Residents