Animal activists rally prior to Pinellas County court hearing for alleged dog decapitation, murder

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – Animal activists held a “Justice for Dexter” rally Monday prior to a court hearing for Domingo Rodriguez, 66, for adopting a dog in May in Pinellas County and allegedly decapitating and killing the dog the next day.

Rodriguez was arrested and charged with one count of Animal Cruelty and one count of Disposal of Bodies of Dead Animals. The investigation is ongoing and a court trial was held Monday.

According to a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office press release, deputies located a male bulldog mix with its “head decapitated, floating in the mangroves” at Fort Desoto Park in St. Petersburg May 14.

Deputies discovered through his microchip that the dog’s name was Dexter and was adopted by Rodriguez from Pinellas County Animal Services on May 10.

According to an affidavit, “various cameras” captured Rodriguez driving his gray pickup truck with “a large cooler in the bed of the vehicle” in the morning of May 11, just one day after he adopted Dexter.

The affidavit stated that bags found in Rodriguez’s home were “consistent with the one the dog was found disposed in.”

A volunteer at Pinellas County Animal Services Amber Szedlar, who helped coordinate Monday’s rally for Dexter, told Florida’s Voice over 100 people showed up to the rally and “filled every seat in that courtroom” with about 30 people standing outside, and more people who were still out at the curb rallying.

The rally was about a “motion to suppress evidence,” according to Szedlar, which she said the outcome of the hearing was positive as the court ruled no evidence would be suppressed for the case.

The judge also ruled that the suspect is not able to have any animals in his home, he cannot adopt any animals, or have any animals in offsite locations outside of his home while the investigation continues.

Animal cruelty is a third-degree felony in Florida and is punishable up to five years in prison, which Szeldar said the animal advocacy groups are “seeking” from prosecutors the full extent of the punishment of the law for Rodriguez.

“I don’t think there’s any fair punishment that would make up for that type of an act,” Szeldar said. “To me, seeing this type of an inexcusable act is sort of the beginning of worse things to come, you know, if you can do this to innocent animals, what’s to prevent you from doing that to children to people?”

Florida’s Voice spoke with Interim Director at Pinellas County Animal Services Jennifer Renner, who said this is “every shelter and rescuer’s worst nightmare.”

Renner explained the thorough screening process that takes place when someone adopts an animal from the shelter. She said when Rodriguez came into the adoption center, there was “absolutely no suspicion.”

“The adopter came in, took the dog out to our play yards, interacted with volunteers, and the process was relatively smooth and uneventful,” Renner said.

A “Justice for Dexter” Facebook page was made, which now has more than 900 followers and that number continues to grow. Szeldar said the group will continue to publicize additional hearings and outcomes on the Facebook page.

A petition was also created for Dexter encouraging the public to sign “demanding a lifetime ban on animal ownership and mandatory mental health counseling for the man who did this!”

That petition has a goal of 65,000 signatures and has received more than 64,000.