'Terrible' Case of Animal Cruelty in Miami Beach

MIAMI BEACH, FL — Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a delivery driver, who is suspected of abandoning a severely beaten Yorkshire terrier that veterinary workers later named "Lily" and dumping her on the second floor of a Publix supermarket parking garage to die a lonely and "excruciating" death.

"It is a terrible case that we are working diligently to get more information on," Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department told Patch late Tuesday night. Lily suffered nine broken ribs and was possibly strangled when she was found by a Publix employee in the West Street store parking garage on April 7, according to Miami Beach police. (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Miami Beach Patch.)

Lily was taken to Doral Centre Animal Hospital Emergency and Trauma Center, where she remained for little more than a day before succumbing to her injuries on April 9. She was found around 11 p.m. by the store employee.

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Police released a photo of Lily in the hope that someone might recognize her. She is believed to have been four or five years of age.

Miami Beach police also released surveillance video of the driver who apparently abandoned Lily near a trash can and support column.

"This person just dumped her body and ... just discarded her — didn't even want to take the time or anything like that to even end her misery, was just going to basically let her suffer," veterinarian Dr. Joy Carter, of the Doral animal hospital told a television news crew.

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When police found the animal, "Lily was still breathing but was not moving, lying on her side and occasionally crying in pain," according to Miami Beach police.

The driver is described as a white male, approximately 40-45 years of age and weighing about 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a baseball cap and driving a red Toyota Yaris that had a white delivery sign on top and a sunroof.

"Based on the subject's actions that were observed on video, officers now strongly suspect that the object the subject was placing on the ground was a severely injured 'Lily,'" according to the police report. "Leaving a severely injured animal that is suffering without seeking help or rendering aide for them is considered cruel, inhumane and animal abandonment by law.

"Abandoning any animal that has been severely and gravely injured as 'Lily' was without rendering medical care or humane euthanasia is leaving them to succumb to death in an excruciating manner," the report concluded.

Photo of Lily courtesy of Miami Beach Police Department