Patriot Brief
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What Happened: A Ring camera in Sweetwater, Florida, captured a woman dumping her goldendoodle on the side of the road as the dog desperately chased after her car.
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The Rescue: Pastor Garcilazo saw the footage online, searched for the abandoned dog, found him, and took him in.
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Bottom Line: The dog, now named Leo, was severely matted and neglected — but is finally safe and loved in a new home.
A heartbreaking Ring camera video out of Sweetwater, Florida, shows the moment a goldendoodle was abandoned on the side of the road — and desperately chased after the car that left him behind.
The footage captured a woman stepping out of her vehicle, letting the dog out, and then driving away as he ran after her, trying to get her attention. The clip spread quickly online, sparking outrage and sadness from viewers who watched the confused dog try to follow his disappearing owner.
NEW: Dog seen running after its owner after being dumped on the side of the road in Sweetwater, Florida.
Ring camera footage shows a woman driving off as the goldendoodle tried getting her attention.
The dog was saved by Pastor Garcilazo, who saw the video online. He says he… pic.twitter.com/kz7id3zb02
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 5, 2025
One of those viewers was Pastor Garcilazo. After seeing the video circulate online, he decided he couldn’t just scroll past it. He went out to try to find the abandoned dog — and he did.
“He was very energetic, he was around the place, like running around in circles,” Garcilazo said, describing the moment he located the goldendoodle. Locals who witnessed the abandonment told him the woman had been crying before she drove off. “That’s not shown in the video… but I mean at the end of the day, she left him just like that,” he said.
“There are ways to do things like that and that’s not one of them, you know,” he added, noting the dog’s fur was extremely matted and clearly neglected.
The pastor decided the dog had been through enough. He welcomed the goldendoodle into his home — and gave him a new name: Leo.
Leo is now safe, cared for, and finally in a home that wants him. What started as a viral moment of cruelty became a story of rescue, compassion and a second chance for a dog who refused to give up.