Florida men kept 2 dogs, 2 pigeons in scorching truck amid 600-mile move, deputies say
Credit: Flagler County Sheriff's Office
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida father and his son are facing charges of animal cruelty after allegedly storing their family pets – two dogs and two pigeons — in the back of a moving truck during a planned 600-mile move in the middle of a sweltering heatwave, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
Angel Valdes, 70, and Roy Valdes Hernandez, 35, both of Miami, were arrested and booked into jail on misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals.
Deputies: 2 dogs, 2 birds were kept in 102-degree moving truck
The backstory:
On Thursday, July 9, Flagler County deputies responded to a gas station in Palm Coast after someone called 911 to report seeing a moving truck's roll-up gate slightly open and what appeared to be a dog trying to get out, the sheriff's office said.
The family told deputies they were in the middle of moving from Miami to Savannah, Georgia – an estimated 600-mile trip. Deputies said Valdes was driving the moving truck, while Hernadnez was driving an SUV with other family members and other items related to the move.
A detective asked Angel Valdes if the dogs were in distress. He said no, and that the dogs simply needed water.
Deputies opened the roll-up door and found both dogs – a 70-pound pit bull mix and an 80-pound English bulldog – heavily panting. The pit bull mix was reportedly struggling to stand up, while the English bulldog was lying down on a urine-soaked plastic covering, and unable to get up, the report said.
Deputies provided water to both dogs, which was drunk immediately.
Flagler County Animal Control also responded to the scene and found that the dogs appeared neglected and needed emergency medical attention, the report said. Deputies also heard chirping noises and found two pigeons inside a storage box inside the truck.
They, too, were taken to an emergency animal hospital.
The other side:
The family told deputies that the dogs and pigeons were kept in the moving truck and not in the SUV because it had "stuff in it" and because the backseat of the SUV was already "crammed," according to the report. Deputies noted that there was about a four-foot gap between the items in the moving truck and the door.
While talking with the family, other family members began unloading items from the SUV and putting them in the back of the moving truck, leaving "ample amount of room within the vehicle to store the dogs," the report said.
Valdes and Hernandez were both arrested and released on a $500 bond.
According to the report, deputies said no one from the family checked on the status of the animals after they were transported to the hospital and appeared to show no remorse for their situation or conditions.
What they're saying:
"If you wouldn't ride in a metal box in 102-degree heat with no air, don’t force an animal to do it," said Sheriff Rick Staly. "This family had room to bring their dogs up front, but chose to let them cook in the back of a U-Haul instead. Remember, if it has a heartbeat don’t leave it unattended in any vehicle, especially in the current heat wave we are having."
The Source: The information is from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.