PALM BAY, Fla., July 1 (UPI) -- A Florida man is charged with animal cruelty for leaving his pit bull tied up for hours in the sun, killing it, police say.
Jonathan Omar Smith's dog, Haze, was eventually seen by neighbors, but died of heat exhaustion after being rescued Monday, Brevard County Animal Services told Florida Today.
Palm Bay police found the pit bull barely breathing, leashed in an open yard in 87-degree heat, while food and water sat in a nearby screened porch. The dog apparently tried to find shelter by digging a hole.
Smith, 30, told police he had been watching Haze for his brother and usually bought him back to the porch before leaving for work but forgot to do so that day.
Smith was jailed at the Brevard County Detention Center overnight and freed Tuesday on a $2,000 bond. No court date has been set.
