Florida Farm Owner Charged with Animal Cruelty

Doesn’t it really get your goat when people abuse animals? OK, bad idiom to use, but the sentiment remains the same: when you take on an animal, you are responsible for its health and well-being. End of story. Why the heck would you own a farm if you couldn’t take care of its animals?

And Hobart Drake, 46, of Fort McCoy, Florida didn’t just do that. He had mistreated animals at both his farm and his place of residence. Since last Friday, Marion County Animal Services have seized close to 70 animals between the two places. They are now suing for custody of the animals and filing charges against Drake for animal cruelty.

So far, a snake, a donkey, some goats, a hamster, seven dogs, two pigs, four horses and many mice have been rescued. Animal services stated that the animals had not received adequate food or care, to which the owner, a U.S. Air Force veteran of Desert Storm, said, “That really offends me.”

What really offends me is when a human thinks it’s okay to not feed or care for his animals.

Drake blamed everything from his own health to recent dry conditions for the animals’ current state, but officials have been keeping an eye on him for a year and there has been no change in care.

He was also reportedly very upset about the animals being taken, especially his family dog and his child’s hamster. It sounds like he did care about the animals—he simply didn’t take care of them very well. In this news clip, he says “I’m not a bad guy. I would just like to work with the county, comply to whatever they would like me to comply to.”

Drake, you probably aren’t a bad guy at heart. But you’ve got to learn how to take care of your pets. And the county set requirements for you to comply to a year ago—why didn’t you listen then?

I’m really glad that this is the only photo I’ve seen of this crime. It’s sickening enough on its own, and I don’t want to even imagine how the rest of the animals are looking at this point.

Hopefully these creatures will be placed in safe, healthy homes soon. For more information about animal cruelty and to see how you can help, please visit the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website.