A woman in Hillsborough County, Florida, has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals with a weapon after she was caught on video abusing a 9-year-old Siberian Husky with a rubber mallet. Elizabeth Jaimes was arrested on Monday and subsequently released on a $7,500 bond. The incident began as far back as October 2022, and the dog, Maya, has suffered skull fractures, broken ribs and jaw, and a broken orbital that led to blindness in one eye.
The video shows Jaimes beating the dog with a mallet, causing it to yelp and cry in pain. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced a petition to prevent Jaimes from living with or adopting a pet in the county. Chronister also said that Jaimes would be held accountable for her actions and that the investigation would continue to determine how far the abuse goes back. Maya has been reunited with her owner and is currently recovering at home.
