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A 36-year-old St. Petersburg man is charged with animal cruelty after deputies say he left a dog in a hot vehicle at a St. Pete Beach access park. Pinellas County deputies were flagged down by a passerby on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The passerby reported a dog locked inside a parked vehicle. The outside temperature was about 89 degrees.
The deputy found the vehicle turned off, with the air conditioning off and all windows completely closed. The dog was in the trunk area with no drinking water available.
Deputies tried to find the registered owner for about 20 minutes without success. They then broke the driver’s-side window and removed the dog to prevent further harm.
The vehicle’s interior was hot, and the dog was visibly panting. Once out, it immediately drank about three cups of water.
The owner, identified as Nicolas Erik Francois Ligonnet, came back to the vehicle after deputies had already rescued the dog. Deputies said he admitted knowingly leaving the dog inside while the vehicle was turned off.
He was arrested by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office on a first-degree misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals. His bond was listed at $500.
My thoughts:
The detail that stands out is the water. A dog that drinks three cups the moment it’s freed gives you a good sense of how long it went without.
It’s also worth noting what the affidavit says about the setup. The car was off, the windows were closed, and the dog was in the trunk area, so there was no airflow and nothing to drink.
Another point is the 20 minutes. Deputies spent that time trying to find the owner first, which shows they didn’t break the window lightly.
Ligonnet has been charged, not convicted, and the case is still pending.
Source: WTSP, with additional reporting from WFLA, Tampa Bay 28, and IONTB, based on a Pinellas County arrest affidavit
