Seeing a Great Dane reduced to 52 pounds found on the side of a road, the Jacksonville community and multiple agencies stepped up and can now at least find solace in an arrest being made.
Named Miracle by Animal Care and Protective Services and described as a “gentle giant” by the woman who found him off Moncrief Road and 45th Street on Nov. 2, the dog didn’t make it after efforts to save his life.
With a financial contribution from Perrin Todd, who found the dog and got some help from a woman she flagged down driving by, First Coast Crime Stoppers offered an enhanced reward of $8,000 for information leading to an arrest.
At about 5:45 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, Animal Care and Protective Services posted this update on its Facebook:
Now, we know his real name — Oak. A strong name for a dog who fought to the very end. Today, there’s some good news. There’s been an arrest.
Our team worked hand in hand with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to investigate this heartbreaking case. Thanks to their persistence — and the compassion of the citizens who refused to look away — the person responsible is being held accountable.
“What we wanted from this was accountability,” said Animal Care and Protective Services Chief Michael Bricker said. “Thanks to the hard work of the citizen, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and our Animal Services Officer Stratton, it looks like we’re going to see exactly that.”
We can’t bring Oak back, but we can make sure his story stands for something. Justice matters. Compassion matters. And this community has shown both.
“Miracle” the Great Dane, whose real name was Oak, is seen being cared for at Jacksonville’s Animal Care and Protective Services after being found emaciated on the side of the road Nov. 2. He later died. The top left photo is him as a puppy and the bottom right when he was found.
The agency did not identify the person arrested nor has the Sheriff’s Office as of Friday night. First Coast Crime Stoppers Executive Director Chase Robinson said he can’t confirm anything but is in communication with the Sheriff’s Office as it works through the details.
Todd said she was told by an officer it was because of a tip after stories were published by media and shared on social media about Miracle and the reward. She said investigators had an idea who was responsible but didn’t have concrete information until someone’s tip. She was told the person initially wasn’t going to come forward until seeing the Crime Stoppers reward and disclosed the dog’s owner.
“I know someone knows where this dog came from and who had this dog and put this dog in this situation,” Todd previously told the Times-Union.
This is a developing story.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Crime Stoppers tip leads to arrest in death of abused Great Dane