In a case stemming from a man who killed a pit bull when he and his Chihuahua felt threatened, an appeals court ruled Wednesday that Florida’s “stand your ground” self-defense law can apply to cases involving animals. A three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal said a Palm Beach County circuit judge improperly denied a stand-your-ground immunity hearing for Cassanova Gabriel, who was charged with crimes including cruelty to animals.
animal cruelty
61-Year-Old Man Faces Animal Cruelty Charge in Killing of Family Cat
A 61-year-old resident of Lee Drive in Palm Coast was arrested Wednesday on a felony charge of cruelty toward animals, causing death, after he told sheriff’s deputies he choked and slashed the family cat. The cat died.
Felony Cruelty Charge for Man Who ‘Whacked’ Trapped Raccoon and Left Injured Cat Without Care for 3 Months
Todd Rainey, 55, told a sheriff’s deputy he “whacked” a raccoon that had been trapped in a cat trap because it couldn’t get out, and had left his own cat’s injured leg go without medical attention for three months. He faces a felony count of animal cruelty.
17 Cats and Dogs Rescued from Near-Death in U-Haul Truck; Two Owners Face Animal Cruelty Charges
Jason Donellan-Sparks, 29, and Shawna Doud, 23, were traveling in a U-Haul from Tennessee when they parked in Palm Coast Wednesday morning and a witness noticed the condition of the animals in back of the truck, alerting sheriff’s deputies.
Judge Orders 6 Dogs Permanently Seized from Bunnell Owner After They ‘Languished’ in Deplorable Conditions
The Flagler Humane Society seized eight dogs from a Booe Street home in early April as their owner was in jail for weeks in another county and had left the dogs with little or no care. One dog died. The owner abjured another, saying the dog had never belonged to her. The judge may ban the owner from ever owning dogs again.
Dog Found Agonizing in a Ditch, Possibly Victimized as Bait Dog, Has Died; Answers Sought and Reward Offered
Grace, a 7 or 8-year-old pit bull, was discovered Sunday in a ditch in Espanola in agony and bearing signs of being a bait dog. By Monday morning she had died, but galvanized efforts to find her abusers. A fundraiser before she died raised $8,000 for her care.
Animal Cruelty Charge for 16 Year Old Filmed Beating Small Dog in Snapchat Clips
A 16-year-old Palm Coast boy captured on a pair of Snapchat clips repeatedly whipping a small, whimpering and yelping dog, was arrested at his B-Section home Monday and faces a felony charge of animal cruelty.
Palm Coast Man Faces Child Abuse and Animal Cruelty Charges Stemming from Alleged ‘Spite’
Thomas Ketchum, 52, of Palm Coast, is accused of animal cruelty toward his ex-wife’s dogs and of abusing his 14-year-old child in a confrontation over the daughter contacting her mother.
Flagler Beach Will Allow Limited Dog Tethering Under Strict Guidelines as It Revises Animal Ordinance
Contrasting with Flagler County and Palm Coast governments, Flagler Beach all but approved revisions of its animal ordinance long sought by the Humane Society, with some strict restrictions–but not a ban–on dog tethering.
Court Orders 4 of 18 Animals Returned to Owners at W-Section Home, With Probation-Like Conditions
A county court order returned four of 18 animals to Mackenzie and Staci Steele, with the rest distributed between four other parties. The Steels must abide by strict conditions and still face a criminal charge.
10 Dogs, 8 Cats Seized at Waste-Infested House on Palm Coast’s Waywood Place
Two women face a civil suit filed by Palm Coast to determine whether they “neglected and cruelly treated” the animals and whether they are fit to care for them, according to an animal control report.
Nine Charged With Animal Cruelty Toward Bears in 4 Counties, Including Flagler
Defendants posted videos of bears being chased and mauled by large packs of dogs after being lured with dog food, doughnuts, pastries and peanut butter in areas of Baker, Flagler, Marion and Union counties.
ASPCA in Flagler Shows Lurid World of Animal Cruelty and Its Kin to Domestic Violence and Other Crimes
The ASPCA, the Flagler Humane Society and other local agencies hosted a two-day training conference in Bunnell for cops and animal control officers from around the state to improve animal-abuse prosecutions.
Palm Coast Council Would Rather Spare Dog Cooper’s Life. You Wouldn’t Know It
From Its Court Pleadings.
Palm Coast’s administration is is making its decision to kill Cooper the dog synonymous with the council’s preference. But it isn’t.
Palm Coast Woman Faces 3 Aggravated Animal Cruelty Charges Over Dogs Abandoned 16 Days
Rochely Ann Lopez-Colon, 25, was arrested after the three dogs were found in an R-Section back-porch, emaciated down to their bones, covered in fleas, amid feces, without food or water for more than two weeks.
Dog Racing Ban, On November Ballot, Gets a Boost From Doris Day
The Doris Day Animal League made a $1.5 million contribution to the Committee to Protect Dogs, backing Amendment 13, which appears on Florida ballots this fall.
Man Shoots and Kills German Shepherd in Palm Coast’s W-Section, Says In Self-Defense
A 5-year-old German Shepherd mix called Caroline is dead from a gunshot to the head after allegedly attacking a man and his puppy on Westchester Lane in Palm Coast this morning.
For 21-Year-Old Who Brutalized Dog, 270 Days in Jail, 5 Years’ Probation, Lifetime Felon
Brenden Geary, 21, left an 11-lb Yorkshire terrier unconscious after brutalizing her at a W-Section Palm Coast home in Palm Coast last March.
Palm Coast Man Faces Felony Animal Cruelty Charge After Yorkshire Terrier Is Brutalized
Brenden Geary of Winchester Place in Palm Coast is accused of brutalizing the 11-pound dog after the dog had allegedly relieved herself on the carpet.
Man Accused of Attacking Girlfriend Then Pummeling Dog That Sought To Protect Her
Steven R. Belisle, 27, of Central Avenue in Flagler Beach, faces two felony charges, including animal cruelty, after allegedly attacking a pit bull and its owner during an argument.
Palm Coast Woman Arrested on Animal Cruelty Charge In Death of Dog and Neglect of Another
Georgia A. Rose, 39, of 16 Princess Luise Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested on a charge of cruelty to animals following the death of a young dog she had been caring for, and persistently neglectful conditions surrounding a second dog that survived.
A 5-Year-Old Cat Is Shot in the Face, Another Disappears as Owner Fears Malice
The cat was found motionless on the owner’s driveway on Laguna Trail, two weeks after another of the owner’s cats had disappeared. There is little question that the cats have been the target of cruelty.
On Eric Drive, No Recourse After a Dog Is Maimed in Hit-and-Run and Near-Miss for Owner
Angela diBella was walking her two dogs on April 28 in the E Section when an oblivious driver car struck her 10-year-old Shih Tsu, which had to be euthanized less than 90 minutes later. There are no penalties for drivers’ negligence in such cases.
Claiming “Robust” Bear Population, Florida Wildlife Commission Targets Another Hunt
The commission in October 2015 held its first bear hunt in more than two decades as a means to slow the increase of black bears in the state and to reduce dangerous interactions between bears and humans. But the hunt was highly controversial, with opponents protesting in various parts of the state.
SWAT Team Serves Search Warrant at House of Man at Center of Puppy-Shooting Controversy
Neighbors have accused Miles Smith, 31, whose house was being searched, of shooting a puppy and texting an image of it, dead in his bathtub, to the dog’s former owners. Smith denies he shot the dog.
A Dog Is Shot Dead in Palm Coast’s W-Section, Triggering Murky Investigation–and Fear
The Flagler County sheriff’s office is investigating the strange case of a three-and-a-half-month-old puppy killed apparently by gunshot sometime late Saturday or early Sunday as accusations fly between two neighboring households in Palm Coast’s W Section.
Putnam Man Faces 5 Years in Prison For Brutalizing and Killing Girlfriend’s Puppy
A jury found Michael Anthony Dalton guilty in 15 minutes. He’d repeatedly punched his girlfriend’s puppy, breaking its neck, over relationship troubles with his girlfriend.
Case Against Man Accused of Animal Cruelty and Battery Starts Anew as He Reverses Plea
Shawn Higgins previously had agreed to plead no contest to charges of animal cruelty and domestic violence after allegedly forcefully throwing a dog on the floor and strangling an ex-girlfriend. He now has withdrawn his plea even though he faces potentially stiffer punishment.
A Puppy Dog Is Shot Dead After Crossing Into Neighbor’s Yard at Flagler County’s Edge
Kevin J. McClenithan, 46, a convicted felon, shot a Labrador puppy dead after it wandered onto his property and, he says, became aggressive toward him and the homeowner, though the dog had been fenced in.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Kicking and Killing Playful Puppy For Interrupting Masturbation
Wesley Jackson, 28, who has a history of abuse and criminal charges, was at his girlfriend’s empty house trying to pleasure himself at the computer when Little Man, the puppy, kept jumping on his leg, trying to be playful. It was the dog’s last leap.
Two Flagler Estate Residents Face 39 Counts Of Animal Cruelty Each After Foul Discovery
A circuit judge ordered the St. Johns sheriff’s office to take possession of 17 cows, nine pigs, 11 goats and two horses found in neglectful conditions. The animals are to be auctioned.
Palm Coast Man Faces Animal Cruelty Charge in Death of a Dog Left to Perish in a Storm
Bryan Leonard, a 25-year-old Palm Coast resident, faces two related animal-cruelty charges in the death of a pit bull called Roscoe who was discovered leashed and dead from choking on an island near Bings Landing in May.
Palm Coast Woman Jailed After Throwing a Cat at Her Boyfriend
Palm Coast resident Katherine Galliher, 50, was briefly jailed Tuesday on a first-degree misdemeanor domestic battery charge after throwing a cat at her boyfriend of three years, allegedly busting his lip open.
Fulfilling Pledge, Rep. Travis Hutson Files Animal Cruelty Bill Inspired By FPC Student
Animal abuse may cost abusers far more in penalties and punishment if a bi-partisan bill inspired by Flagler Palm Coast High School student Morgan Purtlebaugh and filed by Rep. Travis Hutson last week becomes law.
Angel Roman, Guilty of Brutalizing Kittens, Sentenced to Treatment, Not Prison
Flagler Circuit Judge David Walsh sentenced Angel Roman to one year of community control and four years of probation, saying the days of sending mentally ill people to prison for animal cruelty “are long gone.”
Ex-School Board Member Richard Marier Accused of Stabbing Pit Bull to Death
Richard Marier, who served on the Flagler County School Board from 1994 to 1998, was charged with cruelty to animals, a felony, and with using a weapon in the commission of a felony.
Palm Coast Resident Is Baker Acted Then Jailed On Charges of Strangling and Maiming Kittens
Angel Roman, a 28-year-old Palm Coast resident, has been in and out of jail for the past two years and suffers from several mental illnesses, people who know him told deputies. He’d been Baker Acted before his latest jailing.
Sahmi Green Charged With Animal Cruelty in Wake of Fatal Stabbing of Female Pit Bull
The arrest warrant states that Sahmi Green walked a friend’s female pit bull behind a house and stabbed it seven times. He initially claimed the dog had been in a fight.
Warned Of Animal Filth Months Ago, a Mondex Woman Is Jailed on Child Neglect Charges
The house where four young children lived was strewn with dog waste and infested with roaches. Deputies had first investigated the scene in late July.
Cole Bros. Circus Comes to Palm Coast Trailing History of Violations and Animal Abuse Charges
Cole Brothers Circus owner John Pugh pleaded guilty in February to violating the Endangered Species Act and the circus was fined $150,000, and both face a long list of animal abuse and neglect charges from the USDA.
Regulations Will Put Dog and Other Animal Owners on a Tighter Leash in Palm Coast
Palm Coast’s proposed dog and animal control ordinance would impose more restrictive rules for pet owners and steeper fines for violations.
Dogs Scarred from Possible Dog-Fighting Rescued from Seminole Woods House
The puppies were found dehydrated and bearing bite marks and other scarring that led investigators to charge a Seminole Woods resident with nine counts of animal cruelty.