Puppy’s Broken Leg Leads To Animal Cruelty Charges: Pinellas Sheriff

PALM HARBOR, FL — A Palm Harbor man faces charges after an 11-month-old labrador mix puppy in his care broke his leg, according to a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Dairon Molina, 22, of Palm Harbor was charged with one count of animal cruelty, a felony.

Detectives began their investigation after learning that the puppy, Rose, sustained a broken right rear femur and the injury did not appear accidental, the sheriff’s office said.

Molina brought Rose to an emergency vet with a broken leg on Aug. 30.

The vet determined that the dog might need to have its leg amputated.

Detectives learned that Molina was the sole caretaker of Rose at the time of the injury and that the dog’s injury “would have had to occur from unjustifiable force,” the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators met with Molina, who provided inconsistent statements about Rose’s injury, on Sept. 9.

After this, he surrendered ownership of Rose, the sheriff’s office said.