Deltona dog whipped by owner in public in the care of Halifax Humane Society

DELTONA, Fla. – A dog whose owner was caught on camera whipping it with a chain last week is now in the care of a Daytona Beach animal shelter. 

Videos of the incident were taken last Thursday by witnesses near Circle K on Elkcam Boulevard and Lake Helen Osteen Road in Deltona.

“When I saw that video, I was just dumbfounded that somebody could do that to an animal and continue beating it with a chain,” animal rights activist Debbie Darino said.

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office says several bystanders were hurt when they tried to step in to help the poor dog named Bella.

Her owner, Jose Rivera, 31, remains in the Volusia County jail facing several charges, including felony cruelty to animals. 

On Monday, Deltona Animal Control took temporary custody of Bella and, via a petition to the court, expressed concern about Bella’s well-being and safety should Rivera be let out. Witnesses told deputies they overheard Rivera say he’d kill Bella if he went to jail and got out.

Bella is now undergoing forensic analysis and treatment for her injuries at Halifax Humane Society. 

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“We stand firm in our commitment to upholding the rights and well-being of animals,” Chief Outreach & Development Officer Vershurn Ford said in a statement to FOX 35. “It’s a privilege to work alongside our law enforcement partners as we unite in our shared mission to seek justice for Bella and all animals enduring cruelty.”

Darino helped draft Ponce’s Law, which will likely apply to this case. It passed in 2018 and makes it easier for judges to sentence convicted animal abusers to prison. 

The day after Bella’s beating was caught on camera, a judge in Volusia County sentenced Gary Holmes, 35, to nearly five years in prison for beating a dog to death with a bat last year. 

“Using the law the way it’s intended, that’s why we passed it. I see a lot of good things coming out of that, for the animals’ sake,” Darino said.

In response to Deltona Animal Control’s petition to seek permanent custody of Bella, if the judge decides Rivera is unable or unfit to care for Bella, he won’t be allowed to have any other pets in his care, and he’ll be required to pay for Bella’s care and shelter.