Goat With Dollar Bills Taped to Its Body Sparks Hialeah Animal Cruelty Probe After Viral Video; Animal Later Found Dead
In the parking lot of Westland Mall in Hialeah, Miami-Dade County, Florida, a video of a small goat running loose with U.S. dollar bills taped all over its body has gone viral on social media. The Hialeah Police Department has opened an investigation into potential animal cruelty. According to an update by Pet Rescue Report, the goat was found dead near the mall on the morning of November 1, and officers at the scene said it appeared to have been struck by a vehicle.
According to Pet Rescue Report, the goat was first spotted on Friday afternoon, October 30, running around the Westland Mall parking lot, with small bags tied to it in addition to the taped-on bills. After the footage spread through accounts including Only In Dade on Facebook, bystanders worried it would run into nearby traffic, and some tried to find someone experienced who could get it to safety.
The Hialeah Police Department then issued a statement in English and Spanish confirming that detectives are investigating. "Hialeah Police Department is aware of the video circulating on social media involving a goat and has initiated an investigation into the incident," the department said, adding: "We take any situation involving potential animal cruelty very seriously and are committed to uncovering the truth." Police asked anyone with information or additional recordings to call 305-687-2525. As of the reports, police had not publicly identified the goat's owner or whoever attached the bills, no arrests had been made, and no motive had been explained.
Local station NBC 6 also followed the video in a November 3 segment, reporting that the goat was later found dead and interviewing a resident who expressed anger at the footage. GSM has not reposted frames from the viral video.
Florida law sets penalties for animal cruelty. Under Florida Statute 828.12, as cited in the reporting, mistreating, tormenting or unnecessarily subjecting an animal to cruel treatment can be a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, while aggravated cruelty can be a third-degree felony with fines up to $10,000. Whether anyone will be charged in this case remains subject to the police investigation.
Source: Hialeah Police Department
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 尼日利亚矮山羊资料图（Jmkarohl摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经Wikimedia Commons；非涉事山羊照片）
