- Florida, USA -
Levy County Animal Services received multiple complaints about a dog who was being abused at a home on 7450 North West 168TH Lane in Trenton and on March 18, 2025, they reached out to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office and alerted deputies to the situation.
The following day, a deputy responded to the location to investigate. The deputy was familiar with the resident, 38-year-old TIMOTHY RICHARD SPARKS (pictured), because two months prior, SPARKS had been arrested and released on bond. SPARKS was caught for drug possession after being stopped for speeding.
Lying in the driveway, the deputy found a female dog whose appearance was reported as “alarming” and near death. The deputy’s attempts to contact SPARKS were unsuccessful. He remained on the scene for over thirty minutes, and although he could hear people talking inside the home, no one answered the door.
The deputy noted that the dog “had little hair, was malnourished, a severe rash covered her body, she appeared dehydrated and fleas could be seen crawling all over her”, said the sheriff’s office.
Based on the dog’s condition, the deputy called in Animal Services and they responded to remove the furvictim who was immediately seen by a veterinarian.
Animal Services staff named the dog Lena.
Meanwhile, the deputy continued his investigation and obtained statements from witnesses who saw SPARKS abusing the dog. One witness stated that they saw SPARKS “hitting and kicking the dog.” Another witness saw SPARKS “shoot at the dog.”
The veterinarian who examined Lena reported that her condition was “far worse than expected”, said the sheriff’s office.
T
he veterinarian’s report reflected multiple parasitic infestations, bacterial infection, yeast infection, and evidence of starvation. Lena’s bowels only contained pine cone debris, evidence she was eating indigestible matter to stave off her hunger pangs. The furvictim was treated surgically to remove afterbirth that was not naturally expelled after delivering puppies. During surgery, the vet found and removed four shotgun buckshot pellets from Lena’s abdomen.
Deputies were alerted that SPARKS needed to be located and arrested for animal cruelty based on this investigation.
On March 30, 2025, Deputy Lockett located SPARKS slumped over the steering wheel of his running truck in the parking lot of a convenience store in Fanning Springs and took him into custody. During this arrest, additional drug evidence was seized, resulting in more drug charges.
At the time of writing, records show that SPARKS is behind bars at the Levy County Detention Facility.
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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the press release by the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.
In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.
SPARKS’ mugshot shared from the Levy County Sheriff’s Office
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