Justice Is Served: Man Charged For Dragging Dog Behind His Truck

A few weeks ago we told you about a truly terrifying story. Deputies in Florida’s Hernando County arrested a man charged with animal cruelty. Witnesses rushed to the rescue of the Pit Bull after watching him dragged behind a truck in Central Florida. Now the man will serve time for his crime.

Justice for Ollie

It was a horrific scene, but there was one small silver lining. Jan Harwood, the owner of Nature Coast Animal Wellness and Surgical Center, witnessed the Pit Bull being dragged by a rope around his neck. So, she took the pup to her clinic for treatment. As they attended to his medical needs, the clinicians named this sweet boy Ollie.

Meanwhile, authorities went to work. They found the man accused of the crime. The perpetrator was a homeless man named Gregory Tousignant. Bystanders saw Ollie being dragged by a truck that was going 30 to 40 miles per hour. Tousignant told authorities he didn’t know Ollie jumped out of the truck. Regardless, in Florida, it is illegal to carry an animal in the bed of a truck that is not properly secured. The animal must be prevented from jumping out of a moving vehicle.

Tousignant did not secure Ollie and the poor pup suffered from severe road rash. It is a miracle he didn’t have more severe injuries.

Instead of fighting the charges, he accepted a plea deal of 270 days. Tousignant pled guilty on an animal neglect charge.

A New Life for This Pit Bull

Thankfully, the Nature Coast Wellness Center provided Ollie with fantastic care. They decided to share Ollie’s story on social media and it received national media coverage. Ollie’s followers wanted to help. The center wrote this on Facebook:

“Ollie is making a great recovery and is still wagging his tail! We are receiving numerous calls and visits by the office from people that would like to make donations or visit with Ollie and he loves it and so do we! What we didn’t expect is that our boy would be become such a celebrity!”

Amazingly, one follower created a GoFundMe page for Ollie and raised over $3,000 to pay for Ollie’s medical treatment. Ollie suffered a truly awful experience, but he is proving to be incredibly strong. As he continues to heal his fans continue to frequently inquire about adoption. One day Ollie will have a great home!

Watch the update on this harrowing story below.

H/T WFLA
Featured image c/o Nature Coast Animal Wellness and Surgical Center

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