ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Two men have been arrested and charged after abandoning 23 dogs on the side of a road in St. Augustine, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office announced following a multi-agency investigation.
The case began May 4, 2026, when St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the intersection of U.S. 1 and County Road 204, where the dogs were found.
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Property Crimes detectives determined that Austin Moore, 32, took the 23 dogs from his mother’s Palm Coast home and drove to St. Johns County, while Anthony Dunham, 23, followed in a separate car.
Investigators said the two men intentionally released and abandoned the dogs along the roadside, resulting in the deaths of three dogs. The remaining 20 dogs were recovered and taken to local animal hospitals for treatment.
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Sheriff’s Office intelligence analysts identified a suspect vehicle, leading St. Johns County and Flagler County detectives to a Palm Coast residence belonging to Carolyn Loveman, 48, where additional dogs were discovered.
Loveman was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in May and charged with one felony count of aggravated animal cruelty and 31 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals.
51 dogs were removed from her residence, bringing the combined total across both investigations to 74 dogs recovered.
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Moore and Dunham were arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and each face three counts of aggravated animal cruelty and 20 counts of animal neglect.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said in a statement that his office would not tolerate any degree of animal abuse or neglect in the county, crediting the work of both sheriff’s offices and members of the public for ensuring the dogs are now safe and receiving care.
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