Fort Myers, FL – A Fort Myers man is facing felony charges after deputies say he abandoned two dogs outside during July’s extreme heat, leading to one dog’s death.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, 42-year-old Jerry Speed III allegedly left his two bulldogs, Chloe and Princess, in outdoor crates without food or water after moving out of a Pine Manor home on the 5500 block of 7th Avenue around July 11.
When deputies arrived, temperatures were in the 90s. Six-year-old Princess was found alive but standing in brown water and covered in feces. One-year-old Chloe was found deceased. A necropsy revealed she died from heat stress and stroke.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno called the case “heartbreaking and unexplainable,” emphasizing that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Lee County.
Speed, who is already a convicted felon with multiple violent offenses, was charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty and Animal Abandonment. His warrant was served while he was in the Lee County Jail on a probation violation.
He was previously released from prison in October 2024 after serving more than six years for fleeing law enforcement.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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