MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – Unimaginable images and videos showing a dead dog tied to cinder blocks that was dumped in the waters in Coconut Grove have sparked outrage online and triggered an investigation by police, and now the boater who found the animal is speaking out.
Ryan Young, who lives on a sailboat, made the heartbreaking discovery on Tuesday at the Seminole Boat Ramp, located off South Bayshore Drive.
“I noticed two little arms sticking out of the water and then I noticed that it was dog paws and my first thought was, ‘Oh, my goodness, someone’s dog fell off their boat and drowned,’” he said. “And then I saw, like, the rope and two cinder blocks, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness.’”
Cellphone video posted to Facebook circulated rapidly on social media. The footage shows the deceased dog submerged just below the surface with two cinder blocks tied to its legs.
“My God, this is the worst thing that, look, I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s tied to a brick,” Young is heard saying in the video.
The dog would later be pulled from the water. A picture shared to Facebook shows the dead canine on dry land with the two large cinder blocks next to it.
“It was the worst thing I have seen in my life, because the worst – I started thinking about it, and the worst part about it was is they, well, they tied the dog with its own leash,” Young said.
Young said the pup appeared to be a golden retriever, and its body showed signs of a struggle.
“His arms were up so I think they really made him suffer. I think that he was able to breathe and then he got so tired that he just drowned. It seemed like both of his back legs were like, you know, he had torn all his tendons and broke them, I think, trying to survive. So, yeah, it was a very morbid act, it looked like,” he said.
According to the social media post, the dog was found on a sunken sailboat in the water, but it’s not clear exactly where that was.
On Wednesday, 7News cameras captured the cinder blocks and a leash still near the water.
The disturbing find, which sparked outrage amongst animal lovers online, caught the attention of Miami Beach Police, who said it did not happen in their jurisdiction, and City of Miami Police, who have since opened an investigation.
Dog owners are devastated after hearing about what took place.
“They love you unconditionally. To think that somebody could decide they want to abandon this dog because they don’t understand it, they don’t know how to handle it for whatever reason, it’s just a heartbreaking thought,” said area resident James Bell.
Miami Police shared a statement with 7News confirming the investigation:
“Today, October 13, 2026, the Miami Police Department became aware of a disturbing video circulating online depicting a suspected case of animal abuse in the Coconut Grove area. Detectives are actively investigating the incident and following up on leads to determine the circumstances surrounding the case and to identify the individual responsible. The investigation remains ongoing.”
Several questions still remain about the chilling find, including where exactly the dog was first dumped or when this might have happened.
“Oh, my God, I couldn’t even – I have no words for it. I mean, they definitely need to go to prison for quite a while,” said Young.
Police said they are searching for the person responsible, and as of Wednesday evening have not made any arrests.
If you have any information that could help investigators, call Miami Police at 305-603-6640 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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