Dog Gone-It!
January 1st, 2020
Dumps dog (allegedly).
[UPDATE: 10:28 p.m.] Bucs defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches might be in a doghouse with a local animal group.
It seems Nuñez-Roches may have dumped his pit bull “Jitterbug” and refused to pick the dog up, reports TMZ.com. The Bucs replied they are investigating the incident.
Officials with an animal rescue shelter, per local cable news outlet Bay News 9, claim Jitterbug was abandoned for days and when “Nachos” was contacted last week, he said he would pick up the dog Sunday. He didn’t.
It just so happened, the Bucs played the Dixie Chicks on Sunday. So Jitterbug was left in a shelter.
To be fair, “Nachos” was hurt in the game Sunday. To give him the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he couldn’t get to the shelter in time after the game as he was being medically tended to?
When reached by Bay News 9, “Nachos” wouldn’t chip in and talk.
Look, Joe could understand if someone was really down on their luck and couldn’t afford a dog and hoped the dog would find a better home by giving it away. But man, if you don’t want a dog, why not just deliver it to a shelter or call SPCA? Don’t dump it out in the sticks.
And Joe’s just going to guess that even a backup NFL player has enough scratch to give the dog proper care until the dog finds a new home. Nuñez-Roches earned $895,000 this season.
What kind of person would do this? There’s really no excuse. Unless “Nachos” really couldn’t make it to the shelter after his injury Sunday. Still, couldn’t he have someone with the team pick up the dog?
Again, per Bay News 9, Jitterbug has been pre-adopted and will not be returned to “Nachos.”
Good.
[UPDATE: 10:28 p.m.] Happy ending. Jitterbug has a new home.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:08 am
actually the abandonment happened waaay before the game. No excuse. This guy is a turd. The dog was in the shelter on 12/15 per this post: https://www.facebook.com/rescuemetampa/posts/3620830167957822?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCt4VK7sJ0W6GtUa5TWlSDzE1v6P7iZsuzTyY15g-G1QSakfgLlt1t0U_bpFXu3F8a2yKhfOilJaXSL8WOeZ6rdG2brrZWr41CanqZfjXBNPkqW12oovyQL5omcaQSbcEmzEoiwwNHMa9NyH10Rn48wCd9GzYP9Z7t1ku85vdbPynGVbuZh7q5dQc8mqaE030Bh6Miv2gV6BzPj3ZtKLwW1uZ_4JCwgPet6dLptwWWKp5p0wxzs6JChV2dMVwVlwZ4mMlO-B5Jd3B9hkjQOcqF1SIZirVHmFNOIquw-hFb9PJd4x4GzZ2BdqJHT3xxw3PiKq5MouvShBorvq-Q&__tn__=-UCH-R
January 1st, 2020 at 10:12 am
Cut him. I don’t like QBs that brag about killing a pit bull with his bare hands, and I have no use for any player that just dumps any dog for any reason. Cruelty on the football field is one thing. Cruelty to an animal is quite another. There are laws against it. Lock him up.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:12 am
Wait. He left the dog at a shelter??? Get over it!
January 1st, 2020 at 10:17 am
I have quite a few rescues. I live right in the middle of a downtown area. Ive managed to save the ones i can, have reunited a few that were chipped with their owners, and the ones that wont let me get near them still come to my door to eat the food i put out for them every night (I have security cameras and see them)….and ive seen a few dead on the side of the road after a short time. Some just disappear. I like to think they were rescued. Nothing i can do if they wont let me get near them.
Animals are a huge responsibility if you want to properly care for one. Some people just arent made for it.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:19 am
Bonzai..he dumped the dog in the sticks!!! Not at the shelter…read the article from Bay New Nine and TMZ..
Dump his azz…he breeds pit bulls too…total trash person.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:19 am
Anybody that dumps an animal is not a human being. He is an animal. Lock the sob up.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:21 am
Wrong in so many ways … he should be shamed.
My dogs are like my own children to me. You should care for their welfare. I think the part that po’s me the most, is the fact he abandoned the dog on the side of a busy highway. That’s like premeditated murder.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:26 am
Dump that POS.
Its disgusting how we are making alot of completely useless scumbags in to millionaires.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:32 am
Don’t worry Michael Vick adopted him and promised he would take care of it.
Seriously, people should think twice before breeding pit bulls.
A pro football player that lives a transient life style shouldn’t own one. Many rental houses or apartment’s insurance policies do not allow them.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:32 am
WeeManOfScots Says:
Bonzai..he dumped the dog in the sticks!!! Not at the shelter…read the article from Bay New Nine and TMZ.
It has not been proven he dumped the dog! Sheesh. You need to re-read the article, buddy.
“Hillsborough County officials confirmed Nunez-Roches was alerted that the dog was in the shelter.”
And the person interviewed had holes in her story…like:
““I called on Tuesday and they said that he had responded back and that he would pick her up on Sunday, which I thought was odd because they played Detroit on Sunday and they had a 4:25 game”
Did not even get that game time right. And finally:
“I don’t know whether it got loose, whether they let it go, whether it was in boarding and it got loose, I don’t know,” Montague said.
The dog was in a shelter when he was notified, buddy.
And he was injured in the game, so clearly he was unable to get there to pick up the dog.
Get over it, people!
January 1st, 2020 at 10:37 am
Buccaneer Bonzai
did you even bother to read the link Joe posted? dog was abandoned on the side of a busy road
January 1st, 2020 at 10:39 am
@Jean Lafitte
Did YOU read it? There are allegations that he abandoned it, but it actually is not known if that is the case,
Sheesh. People jump to conclusions so quickly around here.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:40 am
For all anyone knows, the dog could be a runaway…and could have run away at any point in the past, and he did not know where it had gone.
Again:
“I don’t know whether it got loose, whether they let it go, whether it was in boarding and it got loose, I don’t know,” Montague said.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:41 am
Nacho has stated that he is a dog breeder. Is it possible this dog was sold to someone through his breeding business that didn’t take care of it properly? I’m not defending the guy but we should wait until all the facts are known before we destroy the guys life? Ever hear of due process?
January 1st, 2020 at 10:42 am
he abandoned the dog days before the game. If it’s not true then why didn’t Nachos report her missing?
January 1st, 2020 at 10:42 am
Bonzai, the dog was found in the median of the road….your reading/listening comprehension isnt functioning very well this morning i guess….but you’ll wake up.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:42 am
Marine Buc Says
Nacho has stated that he is a dog breeder. Is it possible this dog was sold to someone through his breeding business that didn’t take care of it properly? I’m not defending the guy but we should wait until all the facts are known before we destroy the guys life? Ever hear of due process?
Finally, another voice of reason.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:43 am
I didn’t read that in the TMZ article
January 1st, 2020 at 10:44 am
https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2019/12/31/bucs-players-dog-found-abandoned-rescue-group-wants-answers#
January 1st, 2020 at 10:44 am
@MadMax
LOL. Every person that makes that claim is showing themselves for a lack of reading comprehension.
READ. IT. AGAIN.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:45 am
It was in both articles. The TMZ article was basically a copy of the Bay News 9 article.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:48 am
Ok, Bonzai, maybe he had nothing to do with it…could be like what Marine said….if thats the case then not on him. But if it is on him, thats cruel as he!!
January 1st, 2020 at 10:50 am
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have launched an investigation into allegations defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches abandoned his Cane Corso on the side of a busy road, where it sat for 36 hours.
An animal rescue group found the dog on December 8, whose name is Jitterbug — sitting on a Florida road tired, hungry and alone. The dog was also missing some teeth.
Bay News 9
Turns out Nunez-Roches is also a dog breeder. In case you’re unfamiliar, Cane Corso’s are a form of pit bull.
The animal rescue group took Jitterbug to a shelter and an official there says they contacted Nunez-Roches to say they had his dog. The official said, “He had responded back that he would pick her up on Sunday, which I thought was odd because they played Detroit on Sunday and they had a 4:25 game, so how would he get back in time to pick her up at 7? Was football more important?” He never picked up his dog.
The dog remains in the shelter and she’s been pre-adopted.
The Buccaneers said, “We are aware of the issue regarding Rakeem Nunez-Roches and are in the process of gathering additional information. We will refrain from further comment until we have a better understanding of the situation.”
________________________________________________
Where did it say “I don’t know whether it got loose, whether they let it go, whether it was in boarding and it got loose, I don’t know,” Montague said.?
January 1st, 2020 at 11:01 am
I don’t see where it says he Left the dog at the shelter. So who can’t read?
January 1st, 2020 at 11:08 am
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo thinks posters should wait for more information before condemning Pablo’s favorite Buc Nunes-Roches…..
Pablo is still disturbed that Cairo Santos was let go for the Gay kicker and Pablo reminds everyone that Pablo’s Bucs haven’t been in a playoff game since Heff Garcia was QB.
Pablo hopes Hason resigns Haboo to a reasonable deal.”
January 1st, 2020 at 11:08 am
It says the team is investigating it and I’m sure they’ll make the proper call with all the facts on the table. I have rescue dogs too. So many of us do. It makes me sick every time I see Vick’s face on TV. He’s a pos, and he did his time, but that doesn’t make it ok, or just go away. As for Nunez Roaches I’m staying with innocent until proven guilty by the evidence and not he said, she said. If One of my dogs had got away, and someone called with her, I’d race over to get her. They’re family members and treated as such.
January 1st, 2020 at 11:17 am
Pits have strong hearty teeth. So the teeth missing sounds very suspicious and may possibly have been abused. I hope there is a logical explanation but it looks highly questionable from what’s available now.
January 1st, 2020 at 11:24 am
what a POS…. I am sure Dungy the clown will come running to his defense now…. no one supports dog abusers like dungy the clown
January 1st, 2020 at 11:32 am
I know there are homeless kids and people that I care about that still need your support
But how dare he makes a dog homeless!!!! He should be sentenced to death
January 1st, 2020 at 11:34 am
Sounds like Jitterbug will be getting a much better home. To be fair, nacho might’ve been in a coma or something. Like the kind that turns you into a dick.
January 1st, 2020 at 11:38 am
He’s a breeder of pitbulls and he leaves his dog tied up to a tree on the side of the road? Yeah, nothing suspicious is going on….
Probably didn’t want to pick the dog up bc he was afraid the police would be there waiting for him.
Cut this bum.
January 1st, 2020 at 11:39 am
^ satire much?
January 1st, 2020 at 11:39 am
that was for Lamarcus
January 1st, 2020 at 11:54 am
Satire maybe
But it shows ppl have more compassion for a dog being homeless.
I just want to say there is no such thing a dog being homeless. It’s a animal. Lions are homeless as well. Bears too
January 1st, 2020 at 11:56 am
I bet the pooch wouldn’t throw 30 ints.
January 1st, 2020 at 12:04 pm
Is there anyone else or ami the only one that finds the irony in Joe referencing Vick in an article and then almost in the next one he talks about a Buc being cruel to the same breed of dog! As they say only inTampa!
January 1st, 2020 at 12:04 pm
It sad and a damn shame when people mistreat dogs in this fashion. But damn it can we stick to Bucs football
January 1st, 2020 at 12:13 pm
I can tell you this. I heard this story on the news a few days ago and listening to it on the news does the guy no favors. The real story better come on soon before to many people make up their mind about him and ruin his reputation. Hope its not true but is a disgusting story to hear it on the news.
January 1st, 2020 at 12:16 pm
Scumbag.
January 1st, 2020 at 12:23 pm
Lamarcus, so are lizards and snakes and many others…they arent domesticated like most dogs and cats….thats why people care. But a lot of homeless people (not the kids) are that way because they have issues, whether it be mental or substance abuse, and theres help for them also. Anything else you want to throw at me?
January 1st, 2020 at 12:29 pm
From the story the dog had missing teeth… and he breeds pit bulls … I think this story is going to go deeper than what it is now… he has more than this dog and I pray this is not a dog fighting situation like Vick had
January 1st, 2020 at 12:33 pm
Deez..you nailed it!!!
and Jean, thank you for posting the exact story..
Bonzai, Bucs don’t investigate animals that are dropped off at the shelter..
And just an FYI..This clown made his twitter private as soon as the news broke..
January 1st, 2020 at 12:36 pm
P.O.S. through and through…IF he did it.
January 1st, 2020 at 12:43 pm
Dewey Selmon Says:
“I bet the pooch wouldn’t throw 30 ints.”
—
What?????
January 1st, 2020 at 12:48 pm
Doesn’t really seem like the right article to throw another Jameis jab, there. WTF did that have to do with anything?
January 1st, 2020 at 12:56 pm
Disgusting if true.
Definitely sounds like he intentionally left him. And if so, that’s not the actions of a normal breeder, but rather a dog fighter…
January 1st, 2020 at 12:57 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai — First get your facts straight. The dog was picked up by ME on Sunday Dec 8th. That Tuesday I was told that the owner called and said he would pick up the dog, which is a Cane Corso and NOT a pit bull, on Sunday Dec 15th. Correct me if I am wrong but Sun Dec 15th, the bucs played the Lions in Detriot. So get your facts straight. He didnt pick her up. I called the following Tuesday Dec 17th ( shelter is closed on Mondays ) and was told he didnt pick her up. The next day, Wed Dec 18th I was informed that they didnt want her. She was on a rural road 8 miles inland. How did she get there? It was a sunday, everything was closed so I took her to the shelter and had her scanned. I had NO idea who the owner was at that time. Holes in my story….. get your facts straight before posting incorrect information. Or just ask me outright.
January 1st, 2020 at 1:08 pm
It’s been 3 weeks now is what the end of the article said
January 1st, 2020 at 1:10 pm
IT IS NOT A PIT BULL. IT IS A CANE CORSO…. A MASTIFF… AKA…ITALUAN MASTIFF… Why is he not explaining…. And why is he even breeding? There are enough PETS being destroyed in shelters daily..
January 1st, 2020 at 1:17 pm
I heard it was GMC’s dog….
January 1st, 2020 at 1:34 pm
lol TBBF that’s funny!
January 1st, 2020 at 1:40 pm
The Detroit game was weeks ago.. how is this coverage still incomplete? Figured the animal rights activist would have been all over this sooner.
Side note: watching football fans fight over animal rights is absolutely adorable. I normally grill and eat three types of animals every football sunday. One I eat medium rare and bloody.. another gets its head chopped off, then plucked of all its feather… and pork, I’m not really sure how they kill pigs, but I bet they kill millions of them a year! Absolutely delicious… I forgot what I was saying…
January 1st, 2020 at 1:44 pm
@BucFanDuh…. DUH… no kidding the game was weeks ago. But 2 weeks ago, he claimed they would pick her up and then didnt. I assume the shelter then attempted to reach them and found that they no longer wanted her… tick tock that takes time. How did she get there? How come they arent commenting? Easy to close the book on this with a comment. Silence….. Side Note: Jitterbug is in her new home and doing well.
January 1st, 2020 at 1:57 pm
Thank you Marianna!!
January 1st, 2020 at 2:09 pm
From what I understand, GMC and his children fed the dog so much ice cream that it eventually rotted out the poor pooch’s teeth.
January 1st, 2020 at 2:12 pm
GJ Marianna! I rescue also….1 man operation.
January 1st, 2020 at 3:13 pm
Assumptions are adorable too. But because investigative journalism is a lost art.. assumptions are all we have. Far too many holes in this story, and an obvious defamation of character lawsuit for Nunez-Roches. Congrats to him and his pregnant wife(who says they had to give jitterbug away, because of the baby)… and a happy ending for Jitterbug!!
January 1st, 2020 at 3:17 pm
Even if you give this jerk the benefit of the doubt – the dog ran away or new owners (if sold or rehomed as was supposedly claimed), he was made aware that his dog was sitting in the County shelter at risk for euthanasia. Reports (which he has not yet refuted) from the shelter state he agreed to pick the dog up. He didn’t. He didnt make attempts to work w rescue group or respond to further contact. He knowingly abandoned this dog at a kill shelter. This scumbag had no problem making thousands of dollars by breeding this girl. When he was done with her, he left her to die. If not on the side of the road, then he did so at the shelter. Trash human being!
January 1st, 2020 at 3:24 pm
If this dude really did this then he is a low life mf. Unfortunately, there are ignorant people in this world who think dogs are just property and not a life to be loved and cherished. I rescued a dog 4 years ago and it took a lot of time and effort to get the damn thing to trust me. 😀
January 1st, 2020 at 3:36 pm
Yet another distraction on top of a Buc Losing season. Our team is cursed cause the Hits..just keep on comin.
January 1st, 2020 at 3:59 pm
Cut him. He’s a loser. He’s a piece of crap. He’s a back bencher. Anyone who mistreats an animal is a lousy human.
January 1st, 2020 at 4:12 pm
Marianna with the smack down. BUwahahahaha…dumb arse fans. She bleep smacked you.
Nice Marianna. Come back anytime and thank you for humanity and empathy.
Good human. There’s a stray called ndog on here….can you help with him?
January 1st, 2020 at 5:22 pm
okay…so that’s one guy on the d-line already gone for next season
January 1st, 2020 at 6:12 pm
So I read a few comments that pit bulls shouldn’t be bread. Let me set every pit bull hater straight I’ve had several pit bulls in my life as my own dogs an my family members have them too. They are some of the sweetest dogs ever. They play very well with my very young nieces an nephews. They are NOT the vicious bread the media has made them out to be. It’s all about how the owner trains them. So I say to the pit bull haters that just want to listen to the media go throw yourself out of a very tall building
January 1st, 2020 at 6:16 pm
Ghetto stereotypes will persist as long as dudes are out there doing stupid things like this to their own pets. It would take ONE phone call to get help from a rescue organization. Just heartless behavior.
January 1st, 2020 at 6:50 pm
Cincinnati called and offered a free 5’th round pick for him. 😝
January 1st, 2020 at 8:24 pm
Remember when then candidate Trump said that people that plead the 5th Amendment are guilty.
While that flies in the face of American Law…innocent until proven guilty which is what I believe is Bonzai’s point…..
But there is the law and common sense. And while I rarely agree with Trump I think he was probably mostly correct with this one even though I support the LAW and not common sense.
But here is the aggravation…why didn’t Nunes-Roches defend himself instead of taking the no comment approach? Just curious.
But then if a President doesn’t need to provide witnesses who could clear his name certainly Nunes-Roches can do the same.
January 1st, 2020 at 8:34 pm
He’s a goner, bye dude
January 1st, 2020 at 10:22 pm
What a scumbag.
Yet another low character guy on this team. This team needs Dungy back.
January 1st, 2020 at 10:37 pm
I talked to the dogs cousin and he told me that jitterbug was a problem dog. Always biting the mailman, running away and pooping in other peoples yard and not cleaning it up. Jitterbugs cousin told me that on this occasion, jitterbug was hanging out with friends smoking meth and refused to come home. Nacho wanted to go get Jitterbug but he refused to sign a contract saying he will behave and stop getting in trouble. Do you people stop making judgements when you don’t know the facts!!
January 2nd, 2020 at 7:33 am
@DrDolittle….. Thats pathetic. Now a meth friend. what next? She was fine with me and not agressive at all. Lame….. Who did they rehome the dog too that they claim? Why have they not come out and stated the name of that person who they did rehome it too? Why they give her away because of a pregancy?what about there other 3 dogs? where are they? How did she get so far inland and left for 1.5 days? Why did they respond to the shelter that they would pick her up then didnt? Why did they then call and say they didnt want her? This is very very fishy too me…… Fake News?
January 2nd, 2020 at 7:49 am
Mister Negative Nancy Says:
“Yet another low character guy on this team. This team needs Dungy back.”
~~~~~~~~~
The BUCS as a team, are amongst the league leaders, as far as players giving back to the community, with millions of dollars, and hundreds of hours. They give and give…. because they ENJOY it.
Don’t let this guy stain the character of the rest of the guys on this team.