'Sparkle' the dog dies inside wired-shut backyard cage in Florida heat, Golden Gate woman arrested

A Golden Gate woman faces a felony animal cruelty charge after her dog was found dead in a wired-shut backyard cage without water or shade on a day when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees, according to an arrest report. On June 27, deputies responded to a home on 43rd Street Southwest after receiving reports of a dead dog in the backyard. The Collier County Sheriff's Office said Sparkle, a 2-year-old black female terrier bully, was found in an outdoor cage without food or water. According to the sheriff's office, Sparkle had been kept inside the cage day and night, countless times for months through all types of weather. Sparkle's legal owner, Jessica Deshomme, 23, relinquished all rights of ownership of Sparkle to Collier County Domestic Animal Services after Sparkle's death. Investigators said a necropsy determined Sparkle's death was consistent with acute heat stress/hyperthermia associated with confinement without access to water. The investigation also identified gastrointestinal hemorrhage as a contributing or potentially independent factor. CCSO detectives interviewed Deshomme on Tuesday, arrested her, and booked her into the Naples Jail Center. Deshomme is facing an animal cruelty charge at this time. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.