In a case that stunned an entire Florida community, an elderly Shih Tzu named Xyla — once a beloved pet — was discovered abandoned inside a dumpster, tied up in a trash bag like yesterday’s garbage.
The story of what happened to this 16-year-old dog is heartbreaking. But it’s also a story of survival, resilience, and the power of compassion.
Didn’t smell good
On the morning of December 14, 2023, a worker at a Family Dollar store in Lehigh Acres, Luis Llado, made a discovery he’ll never forget.
While taking out the trash, he noticed a bag moving inside the dumpster. When Luis opened it, he found Xyla — alive, shaking, and wrapped tightly in a garbage bag with a rope tied around her neck.
“I took the bag out, I cut the top and the bag fell and she was just sitting there hot and sweaty, she didn’t smell good,” Lado said.
Despite her age and nearly blind eyes, Xyla held on. She wasn’t ready to give up.
Llado said it’s a miracle Xyla was still alive.
”They emptied out the trash that morning too, so if she was there in the morning she would have been compacted in the truck,” he said.
Rushed to animal hospital
Her rescuer acted fast, rushing her to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital.
There, veterinarians scanned her microchip and learned that her owners had recently passed away. The sweet senior dog had been left in the care of a family member — a decision that nearly cost her life.
Thanks to security footage and swift police work, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office identified the man responsible: 55-year-old Anthony Bellman, a relative of Xyla’s late owners. The video showed Bellman pulling up in a blue minivan, removing a trash bag from his trunk, and heartlessly tossing it into the dumpster.
He didn’t know — couldn’t have imagined — that the bag would be found. But it was.
Detectives located Anthony Bellman at his residence and noted he was wearing the exact same clothing seen in the surveillance footage of the incident.
When officers arrived at his home, Bellman reportedly admitted to trying to euthanize Xyla himself, claiming it was “too distressing” to take her to a clinic. But instead of helping her, he abandoned her to die alone in the trash.
For Sheriff Carmine Marceno, this was personal.
“You can see on this video that he has absolutely zero regard for Xyla,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno said during a news conference. “No living thing deserves to be discarded like common trash. The suspect is literally throwing a life away. This video is disgusting.”
“We are ONE team that comes together to be a voice for the innocent, such as Xyla. We will never stop holding individuals accountable for these heinous actions here in this county,” said Sheriff Marceno.
Charged with aggravated animal cruelty
After being stabilized at the hospital, Xyla was transferred to Lee County Domestic Animal Services. Her recovery began immediately — and so did the outpouring of love from animal lovers across the country.
Although partially blind and clearly shaken, Xyla proved that she still had so much life left to live. Almost a week after she was rescued from a dumpster behind a Family Dollar store, 16-year-old Xyla was up on her feet, full of energy and soaking up the spotlight — proving she’s still got plenty of spirit left.
“She looks very beautiful, she’s a beautiful old lady,” said Louis Lado, one of the employees who helped save her.
Anthony Bellman faced charges of aggravated animal cruelty, a felony offense. He was also added to the Lee County Animal Abuser Registry, a tool designed to protect future pets from falling into the wrong hands.
For Xyla, survival was just the beginning — she became a powerful symbol of hope for abandoned and mistreated animals everywhere. Her journey is a heartbreaking reminder that there’s never an excuse for cruelty, and a testament to how compassion can transform even the bleakest moments into a fresh start.
Now safe, healing, and wrapped in the love she always deserved, Xyla was finally getting what every dog should have: a second chance at life.
If this story moved you, share it. Let’s make sure Xyla’s nightmare never happens to another pet.
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