JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Heartbreak and outrage are spreading through the Jacksonville community after a Great Dane named Miracle was found severely emaciated on the side of the road.
Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) said someone allowed the dog to suffer for far too long, and now they’re determined to find out who’s responsible.
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Over the weekend, officers with ACPS received a call they said they’ll never forget. A Good Samaritan discovered a Great Dane starving, curled up, and barely alive.
“We had a concerned citizen that was walking around. Saw the dog in that condition. They contacted someone, and then Facebook just lit up,” Michael Bricker said, Chief of Animal Care and Protective Services.
That social media post quickly spread, with dozens of people pleading for someone to help the dog. Officers rushed to the scene and brought him to the shelter for emergency care.
But when the Great Dane arrived, staff say it was clear how much he had suffered.
“Literally no fat on his body at almost,” Bricker said.
Photos shared by ACPS show a heartbreaking sight - bones visible through the dog’s skin, a body that should have weighed more than 100 pounds reduced to half that.
“It was 50 pounds when we found it,” Bricker said.
Staff named the dog Miracle, hoping he would live up to his name. But despite every effort to save him, he didn’t make it.
“We don’t know how long it is actually in that condition so by the time we got it, we tried everything we could, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough,” Bricker said.
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Investigators say this wasn’t neglect by accident - someone allowed Miracle to waste away, and now they’re tracking down who did it.
“After that post, we put up an email for the ACPS Tip Line, and we got some two very credible leads that we’re going to be working on right now,” Bricker said.
Officers believe the dog may have ties to several parts of Jacksonville.
“The dog did have a microchip, but unfortunately, he didn’t go to an owner,” Bricker said.
ACPS said they’re not letting Miracle’s story end here. They’re asking anyone who recognizes this dog or knows who owned him to come forward.
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Anyone with information is urged to contact Animal Care and Protective Services at ACPStipline@coj.net or call (904) 255-5000.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said First Coast Crime Stoppers is offering an $8,000 reward for information on what happened to Miracle, thanks to a generous donation.
To be eligible to receive the cash reward, you must report what you know through Crime Stoppers. You can call 1.866.845.TIPS, dial **TIPS, or visit FCCrimeStoppers.com
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