In the latest update on a case that has stirred concern among animal welfare advocates, a Weeki Wachee man has been mandated to surrender all of his dogs and faces charges for alleged abuses. Following a court appearance on April 14, Jose Gonzalez-Cruz was ordered by the county court to give up all remaining dogs to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services, as revealed in a media release from the Community Relations Coordinator, Jessica Burns. Not only is Gonzalez-Cruz barred from owning or possessing any animals in the future, but he has also entered pleas in connection to the misdemeanor offenses related to the dogs' care.
The initial investigation led to a warrant and Gonzalez-Cruz's arrest earlier this month. On April 4, while appearing for an unrelated civil court matter, he was detained on charges including Felony Aggravated Animal Cruelty and Animal Cruelty, with a set bond of $3,500. As per the Hernando County Sheriff's Office media release, most of the dogs in question were relinquished by Gonzalez-Cruz, while the decision on the remaining five dogs is pending a judge's review.
Moreover, Gonzalez-Cruz admitted guilt to citations for having an unvaccinated and unlicensed animal, and pled no contest to a citation for animal mistreatment. These charges are lesser in nature compared to the pending criminal allegations he faces for Felony Aggravated Animal Cruelty and another charge of Animal Cruelty. With the legal process ongoing, the Sheriff's Office has stated that the investigation continues to be active, indicating the possibility of further developments in this case.
