LEE COUNTY
The man who the Lee County Sherriff’s Office says taped up the mouth and legs of a dog and left it for dead on the side of the road has been sentenced on animal cruelty charges.
According to the Clerk of Courts, Emerito Marquez, 25, pled guilty and was sentenced to 90 days in the Lee County Jail, 60 months of state probation, and ordered to complete anger management classes, mental health evaluation, and follow their recommendations. He is also not allowed to have a dog.
Paco (Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office)
The dog, Paco, was found limping alone near a Race Trac gas station on Cleveland Avenue with his paws and mouth taped up.
The sheriff’s office put Paco into its cell dog program, which trains and rehabilitates dogs with the help of inmates. That’s when Paco’s luck began to change.
He was fostered by Amy Aronowitz, who said, “He’s just happy. He’s such a happy dog. I’m so glad that the trauma that he lived through did not leave seemingly a lasting impression on him because he’s just so loving.”
WINK NEWS