Florida Keys man is accused of starving and neglecting his three dogs
A Florida Keys man faces felony animal-abuse charges after investigators found three malnourished, dehydrated and parasite-infested dogs were living in outdoor kennels on his property, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation into the alleged abuse began when one of his dogs, a male, was found bloodied while walking down the street on Big Coppitt Key last Friday. County Animal Control officers took the dog to an emergency veterinarian hospital, where doctors determined he was “significantly underweight” and dehydrated and required immediate care, including intravenous fluids, according to a sheriff’s office report.
It was also infested with hookworms, according to the report.
The dog’s owner, Donald Ray Sargent, 49, arrived at the hospital, and Animal Control officers told him the dog would not be released to him and an investigation would be opened.
“Sargent was upset, but eventually left,” a detective wrote in his report.
Veterinarians determined the dog was likely bloodied after an altercation with a cat. The doctors found a cat claw in its face.
Deputies went to Sargent’s house on Ed Swift Road the next day and found two more dogs that were also malnourished, dehydrated and full of worms, according to the report. They were living in outdoor kennels that were dirty with feces, the detective wrote in the report.
One of the dogs was so thin that its spine, hips and ribs were easily visible, according to the report. One of the dogs had pressure sores on all of its limbs, indicating inactivity, the detective wrote. He said this was unusual for such a young dog, estimated to be 22 months old.
Both dogs also had hookworms, the report states.
Deputies arrested Sargent on Thursday on two felony animal-cruelty counts and one misdemeanor count. He was being held in a Monroe County jail on Stock Island near Key West on a $25,000 bond, according to his warrant.
This story was originally published January 8, 2026 at 6:41 PM with the headline "Florida Keys man is accused of starving and neglecting his three dogs."
