Emma Kennedy

ekennedy@pnj.com

In the weeks between Bradley Hubbard’s arrest for alleged prolonged sexual assault on the family dog and his first court appearance, calls from around the country have flooded in to help the animal.

Hubbard, 23, of Pensacola, was arraigned Thursday for charges of cruelty to animals and sexual acts involving an animal. He was arrested Jan. 9 for the offenses, which the police report alleged had occurred more than 100 times over three years.

A witness whose statement was included in those reports said she had physically seen Hubbard engaged in sex with the pit bull mix, named Baby Girl, a number of times.

The report also stated that a rape kit was performed on Baby Girl, which confirmed she had physical and emotional characteristics associated with sexual assault.

Hubbard was given court dates of April 12 and 24 during his arraignment, and will continue to be out on bond until those dates.

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In the days following Hubbard’s arrest, both the Pensacola News Journal and the Escambia County Animal Control received numerous phone calls about Baby Girl’s welfare and if she could be adopted and rehabilitated.

The initial arrest report had included an animal handler assessment saying the dog had aggressive tendencies, and would show loyalty to only one person at once.

Escambia County Animal Control Director John Robinson said Baby Girl is considered evidence in the case, so she’s held at the shelter until Hubbard is either found guilty or not guilty.

“We’re currently holding the dog until the outcome of the trial,” he said. “If the dog becomes ours we determine what to do with it from there.”

Rescue and rehabilitation groups from as far away as Virginia and California have reached out in the hopes of adopting the animal, fearing she may be put down as protocol.

Lori Hoyt, who grew up in Marianna but now runs a no-kill rescue in Virginia, was one of the first groups to reach out to Robinson hoping to help.

“I don’t know that she can be rehabilitated, but I’m willing to try,” she said. “(Robinson) said she was having a tough time and she wasn’t trusting of anyone.”

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Hoyt said it’s likely an animal that has been as abused as Baby Girl can’t ever be trusted with strangers, so if her group did get custody of the dog, she said the plan would be to keep her within her immediate family.

Her rescue group, Stafford SPCA, uses a local animal trainer to assess the psychological impact of abused animals and the likelihood of their rehabilitation.

Hoyt said she’s been in contact with Robinson a number of times since Hubbard’s arrest, and has left her contact information in the event that Hubbard is found guilty and the shelter looks into releasing Baby Girl.

“It was one of those things that just spoke to me, and I said to myself ‘well you’ve got to at least make the call, you’ve got to try,’” Hoyt said.

Robinson said there are not any policies that mandate Baby Girl being euthanized after her abuse.

“We’re just figuring out her mental state and what will be the best thing for her,” Robinson said. “The dog is scared to death and confused, and we want what’s best for her.”