Category: animal cruelty case

After a house fire leaves a dog burned, a man was arrested in connection to the fire that happened in Riverside, Brooklyn on Sunday, November 17.

According to Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), when they responded to the home at around 3:00 AM, no one lived in the home, so no one was hospitalized due to the fire.

While they are still looking into the cause of the house fire, a JFRD spokesperson reveals that it’s being investigated as an arson case and a suspect is already in custody.

Maris Johnson, who lives at the apartments across the street from the home, tells First Coast News, “This morning when you came through, all you see is smoke all throughout the area.”

She also said that she’s relieved that the fire didn’t seem to impact any of their neighboring units.

While there were no hooman casualties, the JFRD spokesperson told First Coast News that they pulled a dog from the fire and was, thankfully, able to revive it.

The spokesperson says that the Department believes that the dog belonged to the suspect, so he could also be facing animal cruelty charges.

“As a pet owner, dogs can’t fend for themselves, so it’s like, ‘Dang, did you really leave a dog there next to a fire?’ So, it’s definitely good someone found the dog.”

The dog had visible burns on the side of its mouth and also had plastic burns on its body.

According to News4Jax, a woman who lives near the house that went on fire, Tracy Russell, tended to the dog, along with two other women.

The news outlet also reveals that the dog has been taken to animal control to be taken care of.

First Coast News also reports that while their crew was at the scene, a man stopped by, claiming he maintains the property for the owner.

The man said the homeowner hasn’t lived their in a few years.