PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office establishes new, dedicated Animal Cruelty Unit within the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The press conference is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at PBSO Media Relations headquarters on Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach. . Bradshaw is expected to appear with detectives assigned to the new unit, along with representatives from Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.
Ahead of the event, PBSO has said the unit is already active. Two recent felony cases are expected to be referenced as examples of the type of investigations the team will focus on.
One involves a West Boca Raton man accused of abusing and neglecting horses on a rural property in unincorporated Boca Raton. Boca Post previously reported on the arrest of James Marinakis, whose case stems from conditions discovered on a property in the 12200 block of 200th Street South.
Investigators say complaints were received in late October after horses on the property were seen severely underweight or injured. Search warrants followed. Detectives documented conditions they later described as consistent with long-term neglect.
Eight horses were seized and transported to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control for emergency veterinary care. Two were not seized. Their status has not been publicly updated. County attorneys later petitioned the court regarding custody of the seized animals and reimbursement for veterinary and care costs.
Marinakis was charged with five counts of unlawful abandonment or confinement of an animal and three counts of aggravated animal cruelty under Florida law. Jail records show he was arrested Nov. 21 and later released on bond. Court proceedings related to the animals are still pending.
The second case expected to be cited involves a Delray Beach canine daycare owner, as also previously reported by Boca Post.
Jason Hershman, 45, the owner of Wanderlust Dogs in Delray Beach, was arrested Dec. 17 on a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty. Investigators say the case stems from a May incident involving a miniature poodle puppy named Cosmo.
According to law enforcement, Animal Care and Control received multiple complaints from employees at the facility, raising concerns about Hershman’s conduct while at work. A joint investigation followed.
Investigators say the puppy was healthy immediately before being left alone with Hershman. While in his care, staff members reported hearing a loud cry. When they reached the dog moments later, Cosmo was bleeding from the mouth, shaking, and unable to stand normally.
Veterinary examinations later documented fractures to the jaw and teeth. The puppy required multiple surgical procedures. Medical professionals concluded the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma, and detectives determined they caused severe and unnecessary pain. Probable cause was established to charge Hershman under Florida Statute 828.12(2).
PBSO has said both cases underscore the need for a unit dedicated solely to animal cruelty investigations, cases that often hinge on medical documentation, search warrants, and coordination with veterinarians and prosecutors.
The announcement also follows broader coverage of animal abuse cases across the county. Boca Post has reported on numerous investigations involving alleged cruelty and neglect handled not only by PBSO, but by other local law enforcement agencies as well, including the Boca Raton Police Department and the Boynton Beach Police Department.
Those cases have come from all over. Traffic stops. Welfare checks. Calls that started as something else and turned into something worse. Many relied on veterinary evaluations and close coordination between police departments and animal control officers.
PBSO officials have said the new Animal Cruelty Unit will operate countywide and focus exclusively on abuse and neglect cases, rather than folding them into general caseloads. Detectives assigned to the unit are expected to work alongside patrol deputies, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, and the State Attorney’s Office.
Details on staffing levels and long-term scope have not yet been released. More information is expected to be shared during Thursday’s press conference.
More police activity coverage is available on Boca Post’s police activity page.
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