The owner of a dog that was left tied up in the path of Hurricane Milton will face animal cruelty charges.

The incident went viral after video showed a state trooper rescuing the dog, ‘Jumbo’ from neck-deep water, after it had been left tied to a fence by the side of the road.

The owner, 23-year-old Giovanny Garcia, said he left Jumbo behind because he couldn’t find anyone to pick the dog up.

The case has drawn the attention of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and State Attorney Suzy Lopez, who promised Garcia would “face the music”.  He could spend up to five years in prison if convicted.

The dog has been given a new name, ‘Trooper’, and will soon go up for adoption.

Source: WFTS, Fox News