Port Charlotte man arrested for animal cruelty after dog's heat stroke death

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla - A Port Charlotte man is facing animal cruelty charges months after investigators say his dog died from heat stroke while tethered outside for hours.

According to Charlotte County Animal Control, the incident happened in May 2025 at a home on Normandy Drive. Animal Control Officer Beattie said the agency received a call from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office just after noon, reporting a dog that appeared to be suffering from heat stroke.

When Beattie arrived around 12:24 p.m., the dog was already unresponsive.

“I did see the dog unresponsive on the ground,” Beattie said. “I checked for signs of life, femoral pulses, eye reflexes and chest movements but unfortunately she was unresponsive.”

Investigators say the dog, an 11-year-old shepherd mix named Neffy, had been tethered outside since around 6:40 that morning without proper shelter or water.

Animal Control said the dog’s owner, Jeffrey Michael Felton, later admitted he had put the dog outside that morning and forgot to bring her back inside.

The dog’s body was taken to a veterinarian for a necropsy, which determined the cause of death was heat stroke.

For some pet owners in the area, the case is a reminder of how dangerous Florida heat can be for animals.

Rosslyn Babcock, a Port Charlotte pet owner, said hearing about the dog’s death was heartbreaking.

“It’s definitely very sad,” Babcock said. “I hope it puts things into perspective for people on how important it is to set up the dog if they’re going to be outside.”

Babcock said when she takes her own dog outside, she keeps the walks short and makes sure her dog has water once they return home.

Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County warns that heat can quickly become dangerous for pets in Southwest Florida.

“You can definitely see impacts in a matter of minutes,” said Dayna Adams, operations manager at the Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County. “Breed, underlying health conditions and age all play a role. Everyone is affected differently by the heat.”

Charlotte County officials say dogs can legally be tethered outside, but only if certain requirements are met.

Those rules include having a tether at least five times the length of the dog’s body, attaching the tether to a proper collar or harness, and ensuring the animal has access to fresh water, dry ground and proper shelter. The county defines proper shelter as a structure with three solid sides, a roof and a floor to protect animals from the elements.

Animal Control says investigations like this can take time as officers gather evidence and submit their findings to the State Attorney’s Office.

In this case, officials say the incident happened in May, charges were filed in August, and Felton was arrested this week.

Felton is now facing charges of animal cruelty and abandonment of an animal. He is expected to appear in court next month.

Animal Control is reminding pet owners that animals left outside should always have access to water, shade and supervision, especially during hot weather.

Gulf Coast Humane Society and Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers have launched a collaborative public awareness initiative called Speak Up Against Animal Abuse to give the public a safe, anonymous way to report suspected animal cruelty.

Through this partnership, community members can report concerns such as animal abuse, neglect, dog fighting, cockfighting and other forms of cruelty completely anonymously. This is especially important in Florida, where calls made directly to animal control are generally considered public record.

That can discourage people from coming forward, particularly when they fear retaliation or do not want their identity tied to a report. The program was created because too many people witness concerning situations but never report them because they are afraid of retaliation, confrontation or having their identity become known.