Lehigh Acres, FL - A man is facing charges of animal cruelty after authorities say he left his dog in a sweltering Southwest Florida garage, resulting in the dog's death.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office says Lehigh Acres resident Anthony Knight shared a distressing video on Facebook that showcased his deceased dog.
In the video, Knight is seen prodding the lifeless animal while exclaiming, "Came home to another dog dead, man. My baby in there dead!"
An anonymous individual alerted deputies that Knight had confined the dog to the garage for a duration of six hours.
Gary Willoughby, the Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Humane Society, emphasized the hazards of leaving a dog in a garage for an extended period, especially given the prevailing heat.
Willoughby tells NBC 2 News, "during this time of year, if it's 95 degrees outside, it could be 115 or 120 in your garage."
Investigators say that Knight subsequently posted another message on Facebook that read, "Come home to two dead dogs within a year, and it was actually my fault this time."
Upon arriving at Knight's residence, law enforcement officials reported that he admitted to creating the Facebook posts.
He also directed deputies to the location where he had buried the deceased dog, which happened to be in his neighbor's yard.