Police arrested two people on animal cruelty charges after they abandoned nine puppies and two adult dogs in a park in Largo, Florida.
All 11 of the dogs were found abandoned in plastic tubs left in Taylor Park on December 19, 2025, according to The Tampa Bay Times.
After the dogs were found, they were taken to an animal hospital where they were diagnosed with parvovirus. Canine parvovirus infection is a highly contagious disease that is caused by canine parvovirus type 2, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. The virus attacks white blood cells and the gastrointestinal tract of dogs, as well as damages the heart muscle.
After police used “various investigative techniques,” they managed to identify two people who had been illegally breeding the dogs with the intention of selling them while they were sick.
On Friday, January 2, police arrested married couple Mary Anne Halahuni Gamble and Fred Gamble on 12 counts each of felony animal cruelty in connection with the case, according to The Tampa Bay Times.
Both Mary, 42, and Fred, 43, were taken to the Pinellas County Jail on January 2 and their bail was set at $60,000 each.
It’s not currently clear if Mary or Fred have entered pleas or retained legal representation.
The Largo Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment.
Following the recovery, Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue took in the dogs and nursed them back to health alongside Skyway Animal Hospital. Just days after the dogs’ arrival, a tenth puppy named Frosty was brought to Pawlicious Poochie with a severely broken hind leg and dislocated jaw, according to a post shared via the organization’s Facebook account.
The St. Petersburg-based organization added, “This story has brought people together all over for the common goal to help move heaven and earth to save these precious souls.”
Despite being brought in for help, the tenth puppy sadly died on the night of December 30, 2025. “We are all emotionally and physically defeated and exhausted,” the organization wrote in another post.
“Frosty had passed away from his physical injuries. He had a snapped leg and a dislocated jaw. And when we did the necropsy, we found a huge hole in his small intestines and some other weak points also lining up with blunt force trauma. He also had parvo as well,” Jaime McKnight, Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue founder, told Fox 13 of the dog’s passing. “It’s a heartbreaking loss, especially to know what he endured before we rescued him.”
The organization continued to share updates when they celebrated the two arrests in a post shared on January 2. In addition to sharing that Mary and Fred were in custody, Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue asked for donations in order to help with caring for the dogs.
McKnight also reflected on the arrests while speaking to Fox 13, saying that “everybody really rallied for these dogs.” McKnight continued, “And look at the results: Got two people in custody that are being held accountable for the damage that they’ve done and the lives that they have taken. And I’ve been able to rescue all of these dogs because of everyone’s help.”
If you know of or suspect animal abuse or neglect, you are urged to contact the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals through their website or call your local animal control officer.
