Florida man avoids jail after French bulldog dies during at-home C-section performed by fake vet
Video above: Teen charged with animal cruelty after fatally shooting dog in face in Tampa
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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man will face no jail time after his French bulldog died during an at-home C-section that was performed by a fake veterinarian and posted on social media in 2021.
On Feb. 28, the dog’s owner, Larry Colon, was sentenced to five years of probation.
Back in Feb. 2021, Colon and Frankie Huertas-Rivera were arrested after Colon’s 15-year-old daughter posted a TikTok video showing Huertas-Rivera performing a C-section on the Frenchie in the home’s living room.
The dog and two of her puppies died from the surgery.
According to WESH, deputies said Colon paid Huertas-Rivera $650 in cash to perform the surgery despite him not being a licensed veterinarian. Colon had reportedly told Huertas-Rivera that he was a vet.
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Huertas-Rivera was arrested in 2021 for animal cruelty and practicing without a license. He was sentenced to a little over two years in prison earlier this month, WESH said.
Colon, on the other hand, received a lightened sentence after being arrested in 2021 for an animal cruelty charge as well — just five years of probation.
The TikTok video is extremely graphic and shows the dog shaking in pain. WESH stated that the Frenchie was “not properly sedated before the operation.”
Following the botched surgery, Colon took the dog to the vet, but she was already dead when he arrived. The two puppies were unborn and were still inside the dog.
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According to WESH, multiple puppies did survive the at-home C-section. A veterinarian advised Colon to get the surviving puppies assessed by a professional as soon as possible, but Colon failed to do so.
Vet staff stated that Colon told them he knew Huertas-Rivera was unlicensed and knew the surgery shouldn’t have happened.
According to an arrest report obtained by WESH, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Colon was “trying to save money” and had Huertas-Rivera perform the C-section.
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