WEEKI WACHEE, Fla. – A Florida man was arrested for animal abuse after appearing in civil court last Friday.
Deputies with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office say that Jose Gonzalez-Cruz, 49, was charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty and animal cruelty over a month ago.
The backstory:
After searching his home on Margot Road in northwest Hernando County, investigators found that he was housing 30 dogs in dire conditions. All the dogs were bulldog mixes.
Mugshot of Jose Gonzalez-Cruz. Courtesy: Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
READ: Man lived with mother’s decomposing body, lied about her whereabouts: SPPD
According to deputies, 22 of the dogs had no access to water, and some of the dried-up buckets had mold and dead lizards in them.
Nine of them were considered skinny and with their rib and hip bones visible. Six also had noticeable sores with open bleeding wounds, according to HCSO.
Several were in crates that were too small, and none of the crates had proper flooring, just open wires touching the ground.
According to HCSO deputies, eight dogs were found on the front and back porches of the house, and both porches were rotting with holes in the wood.
Dig deeper:
Several dogs were observed to have no access to dry ground, and the bottom of the kennels were muddy with a combination of feces and urine.
The defecation could have contributed to the area’s smell, which Hernando County Sheriff’s Office detectives described as ‘overpowering.’
READ: Man injured in shooting in Weeki Wachee: HCSO
Despite the brutal conditions, deputies say all the dogs appeared friendly towards people.
AEO officials gave Gonzalez-Cruz a citation for animal mistreatment after impounding five of them. Gonzalez-Cruz gave up custody of the other 25 dogs, according to deputies.
The dogs will remain impounded at the shelter until the judge orders them to become the property of animal services or be given back to Gonzalez-Cruz.
What’s next:
This is an ongoing investigation, and Gonzalez-Cruz is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday, May 7.
His bond has been set at $3,500.
CLICK HERE:>>> Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
HCSO encourages anyone to contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or **TIPS if calling from a cell phone. Tips can also be submitted by clicking here.
According to HCSO, callers will remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000 cash.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
