PANAMA CITY, Fla. — A man who formerly worked at an animal control facility in Florida’s Panhandle is facing animal cruelty charges, authorities said.
According to Bay County Sheriff’s Office online booking records, Cameron Howard, 36, of Panama City, was arrested on Wednesday. He was charged with two counts of animal cruelty and one count of aggravated animal cruelty, online records show.
In a news release, the sheriff’s office said an investigation was opened after Bay County Animal Control officials received an anonymous report, alleging that Howard had not only been abusing and torturing animals, but also had bragged about it.
Howard was fired from his job the day before his arrest,
The sheriff’s office cited two incidents in its probe.
On Sept. 3, 2026, Howard was involved in euthanizing a small kitten, the sheriff’s office said.
According to a witness who was assisting in the procedure, Howard used a “heart stick,” which administers the medication directly into a small animal’s heart. While the kitten was still alive, Howard allegedly used a second needle to withdraw stomach fluid from the kitten. When he removed the syringe, fluid spilled onto the table.
When the witness questioned Howard about his actions, he reportedly laughed about it and said he did not know why he did it.
“The witness told investigators that the medication used during the euthanasia procedure is a paralytic and that an animal may still be capable of experiencing pain even though it cannot physically react,” the sheriff’s office said.
Another incident occurred two weeks ago, authorities said.
Howard allegedly became angry with a dog that was being restrained with a catch pole. Investigators said that Howard lifted the pole over his head and swung the animal over his shoulder and onto the ground.
In “May or June 2026,” a dog that was scheduled to be euthanized escaped from a room and employees attempted to safely restrain the animal. A witness told investigators that while she was trying to corral the canine with a catch pole, Howard used his catch pole to strike the dog in the spine, the sheriff’s office said.
“I am absolutely disgusted by the allegations against Mr. Howard and the way these animals were treated,” BAQYT County Sheriff Tommy Ford said in a statement. “Animals in the care of our community deserve to be treated with compassion and dignity, particularly when they are already vulnerable and relying on the people entrusted with their care.
“These allegations are extremely disturbing, and we take them very seriously. We will continue working closely with County Administration as this case moves forward.”
The investigation remains active.
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