Overview
- Deputies say residents discovered a severely malnourished Bluetick Coonhound/Australian Shepherd mix locked inside a detached Palm Coast garage on Wednesday, July 1, and Animal Control removed the puppy for emergency care.
- The puppy, nicknamed Sunset, died on July 4 and a veterinarian reported she had no pre-existing condition and that organ failure from starvation was the cause of death.
- Flagler County deputies identified the owner as 18-year-old Chance Jones and booked him on charges of aggravated animal cruelty and unlawful confinement; he is being held on a $3,000 bond.
- A charging affidavit quotes Jones saying he got the puppy in April, was frequently away, fed her only when he returned every few weeks, and hid her in the garage on June 30 because he did not want relatives to see her condition.
- Sheriff Rick Staly publicly condemned the case as severe neglect and investigators have not yet confirmed who else might have heard or reported the puppy during her confinement or the schedule for prosecution.