SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The criminal charges against a man accused of tying his dog to a fence and abandoning it during Hurricane Milton have been dropped.

Giovanny Garcia was charged with aggravated animal cruelty after he admitted to leaving his dog, now named Trooper, on I-75 as he evacuated during Hurricane Milton.

A year later, those charges have been dropped by the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office.

The high-profile animal cruelty case raised concerns surrounding how animals are cared for during hurricanes and ultimately led to new legislation known as Trooper’s Law.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE : DESANTIS SIGNS ‘TROOPER’S LAW’ ANIMAL CRUELTY BILL

The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office dropped the charges after reporting not having sufficient evidence to prove Garci

See Full Page