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Jacksonville Woman Arrested on Nine Animal Cruelty Counts in 2024 Case Involving 11 Dogs

Geonetta Riggins, 48, was arrested Nov. 7 on nine counts of aggravated animal cruelty after 11 dogs were found without food or water and several near death in 2024. She remains jailed on $225,000 bail.

Jacksonville Woman Arrested on Nine Animal Cruelty Counts in 2024 Case Involving 11 Dogs

A Jacksonville woman wanted on nine counts of aggravated animal cruelty in a 2024 case involving 11 dogs has been arrested following a traffic stop, authorities said.

Geonetta Riggins, 48, was taken into custody Nov. 7 and remained in jail as of Nov. 13 in lieu of $225,000 bail, according to jail records.

The charges stem from a 2024 investigation in which 11 dogs were found without access to food or water, and several were described as being close to death. Additional details about the conditions of the dogs or the location where they were found were not immediately available.

Aggravated animal cruelty is a felony under Florida law, carrying potential prison time and fines. The case is among several animal cruelty prosecutions in Jacksonville in recent years, including a September case in which a judge declined to impose jail time on a woman who abandoned a dying Great Dane.

Riggins' arrest came after a traffic stop, though it was not immediately clear what prompted the stop or whether she had legal representation. Court records did not list an attorney for her as of Nov. 13.

The case remains pending, and no trial date has been set.

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