Man decapitates newly adopted dog, dumps body in Fort DeSoto Park: PCSO

Man accused of killing newly adopted dog

Pinellas County deputies say Domingo Rodriguez adopted a dog, Dexter, then killed the bulldog and left him at Fort De Soto Park.

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. - A St. Petersburg man is under arrest, accused of killing a dog he had just adopted.

Domingo Rodriguez, 66, adopted four-year-old bulldog mix, Dexter, from Pinellas County Animal Services on May 10, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Four days later, deputies found the dog decapitated in a plastic bag floating in the mangroves of East Beach in Fort De Soto. Pinellas County Animal Services identified Dexter through his microchip, and identified Rodriguiez as his owner.

OTHER NEWS: ‘My brother was everything to me:’ Farmworker remembers sibling killed in Florida bus crash

Deputies said Rodriguez admitted he adopted Dexter and that he was at Fort De Soto on May 11. He said he was at the park for 20 to 25 minutes before he left. Rodriguez told deputies, though, Dexter must’ve ran away overnight the day he adopted him. His story, according to deputies, had many inconsistencies and contradictions.

According to Rodriguez’s arrest report, cameras caught him in Fort De Soto driving his gray pickup with a large cooler in the bed of the truck the morning of May 11.

Rodriguez's wife said the dog was alive and well before she went to bed on May 10, and when she woke up the next day, both her husband and the dog were gone, the report adds. Bags like the one the dog was found in were also found at Rodriguez’s house.

What qualifications are used in animal adoption?

Evyn Moon reports

Rodriguez is charged with one count of animal cruelty, a third-degree felony, and one count of disposal of a dead animal, a second-degree misdemeanor.

He was released from jail on a $5,000 bond Wednesday, the same day he was booked. The investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said.

Pinellas County Animal Services sent the following statement regarding the incident:

"Pinellas County Animal Services is shocked and deeply saddened to hear of Dexter's death and is fully supporting the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office with its ongoing investigation. Our adoption screenings include a check for any prior or current enforcement issues, animal cruelty charges or compliance issues with other pets’ license and vaccinations. The screening for Dexter found no issues that would indicate danger to his welfare."