Former Florida deputy convicted in Palmetto dog sitter animal cruelty case
A jury found a former Florida deputy guilty of animal cruelty nearly two years after complaints about his Palmetto pet-sitting business drew outrage and an online petition.
The case centered on 31-year-old Nicholas Zotto, a former Hardee County Sheriff’s Office deputy who ran the Palmetto business Pawsome Sitters, and his alleged neglect of a dog that prosecutors said was returned to its owner gravely ill.
According to court records, jurors delivered their verdict after a two-day trial that concluded Wednesday at the Manatee County Judicial Center. Zotto was convicted of aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Judge Edward Nicholas allowed Zotto to remain free on a $1,500 bond while awaiting sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.
Prosecutors said the case stemmed from an 11-day boarding in November 2023, when Zotto accepted payment to care for two dogs even though Manatee County Code Enforcement had ordered him to shut down the business for operating an unlicensed kennel.
A neighbor who lived across the street testified she saw the dogs arrive healthy on Nov. 18, 2023, describing them as “happy, wagging themselves.” She also said Zotto often left home in the morning and returned late at night, suggesting the animals were left unsupervised for much of the day.
Former FL deputy convicted in animal cruelty case
Valerie Pierce testified that her dog Halo, a 20-pound Australian sheepdog mix, was returned to her weak, dehydrated and covered in sores.
“Halo was motionless. He looked so sad, like he was so hurt, he couldn’t move. He was still wet,” Pierce told jurors. She described picking him up as “like picking up a rack of ribs. He felt boneless.”
Pierce later brought Halo to a veterinarian, where records showed he was severely dehydrated, with matted fur and pressure sores that suggested he had been left lying in one position for an extended time, prosecutors said.
Assistant State Attorney Justin Foster told jurors Halo’s condition was so extreme “that it was basically shingles on the side of his body. He got so dehydrated at some point that he was unable to stand anymore, and he collapsed on his side, where he remained for an extended period of time, so long of a time that he actually got pressure sores because his skin died.”
Defense claims dog had medical event
Defense attorney Jacob Grollman countered that Halo’s collapse was the result of a sudden medical emergency, not prolonged neglect. He said Zotto had given the dog a bath shortly before pickup when “that dog collapsed and defecated in the tub.”
Grollman said Zotto reacted immediately, calling Pierce “in a panic” and offering to take Halo to an emergency veterinarian.
“He even told her he thought the dog had some kind of stroke,” Grollman said.
Instead, Grollman said, Pierce chose to drive straight to Zotto’s home, telling him she was only minutes away.
“Evidence is going to show that Ms. Pierce said, ‘Hold on, Nick, I’m 20 minutes away, I’ll be there soon,’” Grollman said.
He also reminded jurors that Halo ultimately survived.
“Eventually, Halo was returned to Ms. Pierce with instructions to continue administering medication and the expectation that he would get better, which thankfully is exactly what happened,” said Grollman.
Jurors ultimately sided with the state, rejecting the defense’s argument that Halo’s condition was the result of a sudden medical emergency. The verdict capped nearly two years of scrutiny surrounding Zotto and his Palmetto pet-sitting business.
That scrutiny began weeks before Halo’s boarding, when prosecutors said a video posted to social media appeared to show Zotto striking a dog named Grizzly at Pawsome Sitters. The footage drew widespread criticism and led to his firing from the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, where he had worked since 2022.
Zotto was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty in that case and cited for multiple civil violations by Manatee County Animal Services, according to court records. That misdemeanor case is still pending in Manatee County court, records show.
Investigators later said he continued boarding dogs despite being ordered by county code enforcement to shut down his business, which led to the felony charge involving Halo.
The allegations fueled public backlash, with petitions to shut down Pawsome Sitters and prosecute Zotto, including a Change.org campaign that drew thousands of signatures.
