MIAMI (WSVN) - A local journalist in Miami who raised awareness about a viral video of a neglected French bulldog was honored by City of Miami officials on Monday.
Cata Balzano, who spread the word about the video, was honored by City of Miami District 4 Commissioner Ralph “Rafael” Rosado and was presented an award to honor her activism.
“I want to recognize you with this absolutely beautiful token on behalf of our entire board that shows our wonderful downtown skyline,” he said.
The outreach began after Rosalia Bernal, a neighbor at the Park Line Condominiums in downtown Miami, posted videos of the emaciated animal living in its own urine and feces, and appearing dehydrated.
She recounted her heartbreak when she saw the dog from her apartment balcony.
“Looking for water. A little walking.” she said. “OK, it’s not good, he is not healthy,”
She then pulled out her phone.
“So I’m calling the cops first, and looking for the page popular here on Instagram,”
Luckily, the ordeal ended in a positive outcome after Balzano raised awareness to Bernal’s video about the issue on social media, garnering millions of views.
“All I want is to see that dog and make sure that that dog is OK, and initially, to understand what’s going on with that resident,” said Balzano.
Her videos sparked an intense furor online, calling for action from police.
“I was not ever expecting that when I hopped into my car on Friday at 6 p.m. and got home at 2 a.m., that this was going to turn into what it did, and I’m just very proud that we were able to do something so valuable for our community,” said Balzano.
The dog was later rescued by City of Miami Police officers, and the owner of the dog, later identified as Kevin Benjamin, was arrested.
“We were able to make contact with the business manager, touched base with animal control, make a multi-agency investigation, deploy our officers, and within a few short hours, we were able to not only rescue the puppy but also take the person into custody,” said City of Miami Police Chief Edwin Lopez.
Lopez also commended the community for their unity in confronting an injustice.
“When it comes to safety, not only of human beings but of our furry friends, is something that we take seriously. And we were able to salvage one animal, and the community coming together in this magnitude for us was very fruitful,” he said.
Bernal was also appreciative of the role she played in making a difference for that dog, as she has her own French bulldog.
“I’m so happy, I saved a life. I saved a life and shared a life,” she said. “I was its voice, I’m happy the dog is safe.”
Bernal said that she plans to adopt the dog after it is released from the custody of Miami-Dade Animal Services on Oct. 10.
Benjamin has since been charged with one count of animal cruelty.
On Monday evening, Miami-Dade Animal Services released a statement which reads:
“We wanted to provide a quick update on Dior, the French bulldog whose case went viral over the weekend.
Dior is currently safe and receiving ongoing treatment from trusted medical professionals. He remains in our custody and is not available for adoption at this time.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the proper way to report animal welfare concerns. While social media can help bring attention to a situation, the best way to ensure animal services can respond promptly is to call 311 directly.
When reporting a concern, please provide as much information as possible, including the location, a description of the animal, what you observed, and any other details that may help our officers respond.
We’re grateful to everyone who spoke up and helped bring this case to our attention. As this remains an ongoing investigation, additional details cannot be shared at this time. An update will be provided once the case has been closed.”
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