After a disgusting and disturbing animal abuse case that was brought to light on May 1, 2023, by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Elizabeth Jaimes has been served justice.
Jaimes was sentenced to 70.8 months and was mandated to take part in an anger management course upon release. She will also be banned from owning any animals, have to serve three years of probation and register with the animal abuser registry after being released from custody.
On May 1, 2023, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting an animal cruelty incident at a home on Halifax Drive.
When deputies arrived, they were given surveillance footage of Elizabeth Jaimes, 24, holding a 9-year-old Siberian Husky “Maya” with a leash and repeatedly striking the dog with a rubber mallet on the head and torso.
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When deputies arrived, they were given surveillance footage of Elizabeth Jaimes, 24, holding a 9-year-old Siberian Husky “Maya” with a leash and repeatedly striking the dog with a rubber mallet on the head and torso.
After being brought to the Veterinary Emergency Group, it was confirmed that Maya had multiple blunt-force head and back injuries, including spine and rib fractures, and was blind in one eye.
Jaimes was living in the home with her boyfriend and his mother, Maya’s owner.
The dog’s owner started to notice Maya was receiving injuries around August when Jaimes moved in and, at the request of her veterinarian, installed a hidden camera in her home to see what was happening to the dog.
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That is when she discovered the disturbing abuse occurring at the hands of Jaimes. Jaimes admitted to hitting the dog because he had growled at her.
“The actions of Elizabeth Jaimes are reprehensible,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “No animal deserves to be treated cruelly and inhumanely, and we will not tolerate it. Our team acted swiftly to take Maya into custody and provide her with emergency medical care.”
“Our office is always focused on fighting on behalf of the most vulnerable populations who can’t speak for themselves,” said State Attorney Susan Lopez in 2023. “The State Attorney’s Office will not tolerate animal cruelty and will continue to work closely with Sheriff Chronister and his team as they continue this disturbing investigation.”
In Defense of Animals sent a letter with more than 15,000 signatures to 13th District State Attorney Susan Lopez calling for maximum prosecution and sentencing, mental health evaluations, mandatory treatment, and an order that Jaimes be prohibited from engaging with animals.
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“We are grateful to State Attorney Lopez for her strong prosecution and the judge for passing a strong sentence for this despicable case of severe and sustained animal abuse,” said Doll Stanley, Senior Justice for Animals Campaigner for In Defense of Animals. “It’s a miracle that Maya survived, and we hope this sentence can help her and her family heal from the trauma. When the justice system works for animals like this, it sends a strong message and prevents such horrors.”
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