Man on probation arrested for failing to treat dog’s broken leg

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Terrence Lamar Walker, 29, was arrested on July 15 and charged with failing to treat an injury to his dog, resulting in excessive pain or suffering.

According to records from Alachua County Animal Resources (ACAR), a call was received on January 8 that said Walker had thrown a dog out the window while it was in a wire crate and the dog appeared to have suffered broken ribs and a broken leg. She said Walker had not sought any medical care for the dog in the days since the injury and that she had also heard Walker threaten the dog that day.

On January 9, ACAR investigators went to Walker’s apartment with several Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies and asked Walker to bring the dog outside. The investigators noted that the dog could not put weight on her hind leg; when asked what had happened, Walker reportedly said he did not know because the dog had been outside playing and had come back inside limping.

Walker reportedly said he had taken the dog to an emergency veterinarian on January 2, but he didn’t have the paperwork. The investigator contacted the veterinarian, who said Walker had declined all treatment for the dog due to the cost.

According to the medical report, Walker had brought in the dog, a 9-month-old female, and told the veterinarian he heard a TV fall in the other room while the dogs were playing, and he found the dog limping.

The medical report states that the dog likely had a left femur fracture and they recommended sedation with X-rays, pain medication, and a splint to make the dog more comfortable. They said the leg would not heal with a splint or cast alone and recommended surgery to either repair or amputate the leg. The report says Walker declined all treatment for financial reasons.

When the investigator asked Walker why the two stories about the injury conflicted, he reportedly pointed at the garbage, saying the TV was over there, but the investigator reported that there was no TV in the area.

The investigator noted that a wire kennel was on the ground behind the apartment and asked Walker how it got there; he reportedly said he had thrown it over the balcony but denied that the dog was in the kennel when he threw it over the balcony.

The investigator reported that while they were at the apartment, Walker called around to different veterinarians to get the dog looked at that day. He reportedly said he did not want the leg amputated and could not afford the prices he was quoted. He said he had a friend who would adopt the dog but was reportedly unable to provide the friend’s name. He also reportedly said he would find another home for the dog after she had a litter of puppies; when the investigator informed him that he would need a breeding permit, Walker surrendered the dog to ACAR. The dog was taken to a veterinarian and kept overnight for pain management.

Walker has 16 felony convictions (none violent) and 12 misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He has served two state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2021, and he is currently on probation for habitually driving without a valid license. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $30,000 with the condition that he have no contact with animals, and Walker is still in jail. The State Attorney’s Office has filed notice that they intend to seek enhanced penalties in the case because Walker is a habitual felony offender.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.