FLORIDA — A Pensacola man has been arrested on animal cruelty charges after allegedly abandoning two dogs in a rural area, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
In a social media post, the sheriff’s office said the incident occurred Jan. 21 when a deputy observed a red Chevrolet Silverado traveling along Becks Lake Road with two dogs riding in the bed of the truck. A short time later, the deputy saw the same truck pass by again without the dogs.
Moments later, a citizen flagged down the deputy and reported that a red truck had just dropped off two dogs and left the area. The deputy located the dogs at a dead-end portion of Becks Lake Road and secured them inside his patrol vehicle.
Investigators ran the truck’s license plate and reviewed surveillance footage, which identified the driver as 60-year-old Bryan Wayne Mott, who was listed as the owner of the red Silverado. Authorities said Mott initially denied any knowledge of the dogs and later gave several conflicting explanations regarding how the animals were left without food or water.
Surveillance video confirmed the dogs were inside Mott’s truck as it traveled along Old Chemstrand Road and Highway 29, according to the sheriff’s office. The dogs were turned over to Animal Control and are now in their care.
Mott was arrested Jan. 29 and charged with two counts of animal cruelty related to abandonment of an animal.
“Thank you to the citizen who spoke up and to our deputy for taking immediate action to protect these animals,” the sheriff’s office said.
