Giovanny Aldama Garcia, accused of abandoning his dog to die in Hurricane Milton, walks free after prosecutors drop cruelty charges — sparking outrage across Florida
A Florida man once accused of abandoning his dog in the middle of a deadly hurricane has walked free after prosecutors dropped the charges, igniting widespread outrage from the community that rescued the terrified animal. Giovanny Aldama Garcia, 27, was charged last month after officials said he tied his bull terrier to a fence and fled the state to escape Hurricane Milton’s path — leaving the helpless dog alone in rising floodwaters as the Category 4 storm barreled toward Florida.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the animal was found shivering and soaked, clinging to life as first responders waded through waist-deep water to reach it. Viral video from the rescue showed deputies untying the leash from a metal fence as wind and rain whipped through the area. The dog was later named “Milton” by rescuers and taken in by a local shelter, where volunteers described the scene as “one of the most heartbreaking we’ve seen in years.”
But despite the outrage, state prosecutors have now quietly dropped the animal-cruelty case against Garcia, saying there was insufficient evidence to prove criminal intent. According to court filings obtained by the Tampa Bay Times and FOX Weather, Garcia told investigators that he “didn’t want to take the dog into the car because it panics in storms” and claimed he “planned to return.” Prosecutors cited this explanation, along with a lack of clear proof that the act was intentional rather than negligent, as the reason for the case’s dismissal.
The decision has sparked fury among residents, animal-rights advocates, and the same deputies who risked their lives to save the animal. “I’m disgusted,” said one shelter volunteer who helped treat the dog. “We saw the condition that poor animal was in — tied to a fence, rain beating down, terrified. To say there’s no crime here is unbelievable.” Social-media posts from local rescue groups quickly gained thousands of shares, demanding changes in Florida’s cruelty laws and calling for harsher penalties for abandonment during natural disasters.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said it “strongly disagrees” with the decision to drop the charges but acknowledged that the case now rests entirely in the hands of prosecutors. “Our job was to respond and rescue. We did that,” said a department spokesperson. “We will continue to enforce animal-protection laws to the fullest extent possible.”
The dog, now in the care of a local rescue organization, is reportedly thriving — renamed by foster volunteers and set to be adopted by a family who watched the viral footage of his rescue. “He’s safe now,” said the shelter’s director. “But what message does this send? That you can leave an animal behind in a hurricane and walk away without consequences?”
The controversy has reignited debate in Florida over the lack of statewide legislation mandating evacuation protocols for pets during hurricanes. Many shelters refuse animals during storms, and pet owners fleeing at the last minute often make desperate choices. Animal-welfare groups are now pushing for a “Milton Law,” a proposal that would make it a felony to leave any animal tied or confined outdoors in an evacuation zone during a declared emergency.
While Giovanny Aldama Garcia remains legally cleared, public anger shows no sign of easing. The sheriff’s office has received hundreds of calls from outraged citizens, and local activists have launched petitions demanding the case be reopened. For many Floridians, the sight of a soaked, trembling dog tied to a fence in hurricane winds won’t fade anytime soon — nor will the frustration over a justice system that, in their view, failed to protect one of its most innocent victims.
