Target: Bill Gladson, State Attorney of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, Florida
Goal: Prosecute the man charged with aggravated animal cruelty after allegations of a dead dog found hidden in a covered crate and a puppy discovered so emaciated its backbone and all ribs were visible.
A deeply disturbing scene was uncovered at a Florida property when a law enforcement officer arrived to assist with an eviction and reportedly discovered conditions that pointed to severe and prolonged animal abuse. According to the arrest report, a large German Shepherd outside the home appeared to have skin issues on its back. Inside the residence, two other dogs were found — including a very young puppy described as emaciated, with backbone visible and all ribs showing through the skin. It is also reported that a medium-sized dog crate in the back yard was found covered with blankets and sheets — and inside, a dead dog was discovered.
According to authorities, the property’s occupant, 51-year-old Luciano Torres Jr., was not present at the time of the discovery. He was subsequently located, arrested, and booked into Marion County Jail on a $50,000 bond. He faces charges of aggravated animal cruelty causing excessive pain or death and confining an animal without sufficient food or water. The decision to allegedly cover the crate containing the dead dog with blankets and sheets raises serious questions about whether the concealment was deliberate — an apparent attempt to hide evidence of the animal’s death from view.
Animals confined without food or water until they die do not perish quickly — they suffer over days and weeks, with no means of escape or relief. The State Attorney must ensure that Torres faces the maximum available sentence on all charges and that the case is prosecuted with the full seriousness these alleged crimes demand.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear State Attorney Gladson,
We are writing in urgent response to a case in which a dead dog was reportedly found hidden beneath blankets inside a covered crate in a residential back yard, while a puppy inside the same property was allegedly so severely emaciated that its backbone and all ribs were visible through its skin. A German Shepherd outside the home was also reportedly observed to have skin issues. The animals were discovered by a law enforcement officer who arrived at the property for an unrelated eviction matter — raising serious concerns about how long these animals may have suffered without anyone intervening.
The accused has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty causing excessive pain or death and confining an animal without sufficient food or water — charges that reflect the gravity of what was allegedly found at this property. We are deeply troubled by the apparent concealment of the dead dog beneath blankets and sheets, which suggests a deliberate attempt to hide evidence of the animal’s death. This alleged act of concealment, combined with the reportedly catastrophic condition of the surviving animals, points to neglect that was both prolonged and knowing.
We respectfully demand that your office pursue the maximum available penalties on all charges, and that any sentencing include a permanent prohibition on animal ownership. A puppy allegedly starved to the point of skeletal visibility, and a dog allegedly left to die hidden beneath a covering, deserve the full weight of Florida’s animal protection laws. We ask that your office deliver that justice.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Christopher Welsch Leveroni
