FREDDIE KELLY JR. arrested after emaciated dog found tethered with heavy chain

- Florida, USA -

The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office arrested 57-year-old FREDDIE KELLY JR. (pictured).

On June 25, 2026, a deputy, along with an Alachua County Animal Resources officer, responded to KELLY’s residence following a report of a dog in distress.

Upon arrival, the deputy and the officer found a black Labrador retriever mix named Big Boy tethered to a wire line with a heavy metal chain and collar.

As the deputy approached the area where Big Boy was tethered, he detected a “noticeable odor of decay.”

The deputy and the officer documented that Big Boy was severely emaciated, with no detectable body fat, and had a substantial wound on the right side of his neck. Big Boy was removed from the property and taken for medical treatment.

The veterinarian who examined Big Boy found a large ruptured mass on the right side of his neck, accompanied by a foul odor and maggots in the affected tissue. The mass was approximately the size of a softball and was surgically removed. Big Boy weighed 50.60 pounds, tested positive for internal parasites and heartworm, and had a severe flea infestation covering his entire body.

The deputy searched PetPoint and learned that in April 2021, KELLY had been issued a written warning for tethering a dog to a heavy chain.

PetPoint is a cloud-based shelter management system used by Alachua County Animal Resources to track animal records, including histories of cruelty warnings and human-tethering citations.

The deputy then contacted KELLY and asked him to surrender Big Boy.

KELLY agreed and said he had had Big Boy since he was a puppy and claimed that he had been feeding him.

KELLY acknowledged that Big Boy had been tethered to a heavy chain, which was later found to weigh 10.6 pounds. He also said that he had attempted to treat Big Boy’s neck wound with hydrogen peroxide.

KELLY was arrested late Thursday evening, September 10, 2026, on a warrant for aggravated animal cruelty.

At the time of writing, online records show that KELLY is being held in the Alachua County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Big Boy was sadly euthanized on July 1, 2026, due to his declining health.

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: 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.

KELLY’s mugshot shared from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.

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