MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — The former deputy who was accused of animal cruelty charges and fled Manatee County on Tuesday has turned himself in Wednesday afternoon at the Sarasota County Jail.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested 29-year-old Nicholas Anthony Zotto for aggravated animal cruelty and posted bail on a $1,500 bond.
Deputies learned that Zotto was boarding dogs at Pawsome Sitters in Palmetto weeks after he was issued a Notice to Appear for Animal Abuse and to stop conducting business at his home.
Between Nov. 18 and Nov. 29, Zotto agreed to board two dogs in exchange for payment. When the owner of the dogs stopped by to pick them up, one of the dogs looked sick and in discomfort, the sheriff’s office said.
A veterinarian discovered the dog had open sores and was severely dehydrated. While in Zotto’s care, the dog was left in a confined space and sat in his own filth for a long period of time.
On Nov. 2, Zotto was charged with animal cruelty after “video evidence [showed him] depicting cruelty to a dog he was boarding” earlier in the year. Animal Services also cited him with multiple civil ordinance violations.
