A 3-year-old American bulldog showed up at a Lake County shelter barely alive, weighing only 40.6 pounds. The dog died the next morning, and investigators say the man who brought it in had known for months that the animal needed help.
Deputies say Edualdo Rodriguez told shelter workers he had just found the dog and was surrendering it so it could get treatment. But as reported by FOX 35 Orlando, investigators later determined Rodriguez was actually the bulldog’s owner, and he now faces animal cruelty and animal abandonment charges.
Shelter staff put the dog on a feeding plan and provided supportive care, according to Inside Lake. A necropsy found the bulldog died from a stomach blockage caused by clothing it had swallowed. Investigators reported finding no underlying disease and concluded the animal had endured prolonged starvation.
A Paper Trail Long Before The Drop-Off
The case appears to stretch back long before the January surrender. Shelter records showed Rodriguez had acknowledged owning the dog and discussed its medical problems in March 2025, while deputies had prior contact with him in November 2025 confirming he was the owner, FOX 35 Orlando reported.
Lake County’s animal services office says the county shelter is there to help with lost, abandoned, neglected and surrendered pets. The agency lists the shelter’s main phone line as 352-343-9688 and urges residents who need help with an animal to contact the shelter or the sheriff’s Animal Enforcement Unit instead of waiting until a situation becomes a crisis.
Months-Long Investigation Ends In Arrest
A warrant for Rodriguez’s arrest was issued in April, and he was taken into custody Tuesday before being released on $3,500 bond, according to Inside Lake. The charges remain allegations, and the criminal case still has to move through the court system.
Deputy Stephanie Earley of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office called the outcome “very, very heartbreaking” and urged owners who can no longer care for their animals to seek help early. Her warning is straightforward: giving up a pet to a shelter can be painful, but waiting until an animal is starving can turn a problem that could have been solved with a phone call into a criminal investigation.
