JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The woman charged with aggravated animal cruelty after her Great Dane, Miracle, was found severely malnourished along a Jacksonville roadway last year, changed her plea Wednesday from not guilty to guilty, according to Duval County court records.
Dawn Lipford, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony, after her dog, Oak — later renamed Miracle by staff at Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services — was found emaciated last year.
The case drew widespread public attention after ACPS shared photos of Miracle on social media while First Coast Crime Stoppers offered an $8,000 reward for information leading to the identification of his owner.
Despite treatment, Miracle died days later because of the severity of his condition, ACPS said.
According to the arrest report, Miracle was unable to stand or lift his head when he arrived at ACPS. The report later determined the Great Dane died from “starvation and dehydration” after enduring “considerable pain because of severe malnutrition and starvation.”
Investigators identified Lipford as Miracle’s owner through the dog’s microchip. She was arrested Nov. 7, and prosecutors later charged her with aggravated animal cruelty, alleging she failed to provide necessary food, water and care, resulting in the dog’s death.
Ahead of sentencing, Judge Tatiana Salvador has received letters from members of the public and people who know Lipford. Many urge the court to impose the maximum sentence and prohibit Lipford from owning animals, while relatives and friends ask the judge to consider alternatives to incarceration, citing family caregiving responsibilities and health issues.
Aggravated animal cruelty is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine under Florida law. Lipford is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 17.
