PAWWATCH CASE WATCH
ChargedHillsborough County Woman Charged After Two Severely Malnourished Dogs Found
CASE WATCH — NOT A REGISTRY CONVICTION RECORD
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says Bernice Smith was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals after two severely malnourished dogs were found in her care.
Case statusCharged
Location reportedTampa, Hillsborough, FL
Person named in reportBernice Smith
Incident date2026-07-14
First reported2026-07-28
Last updated10/7/2026
Case details
Deputies reported that both dogs were extremely underweight, with ribs, hips and spinal bones visibly protruding. Animal Services removed them for care.
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Case timeline
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Case Watch tracks publicly reported animal-cruelty and animal-fighting cases for informational purposes. Appearance here does not mean a person has been convicted. Case status may change as proceedings continue. See linked sources for complete information.