WATCH: Trooper Morales speaks on rescuing dog Trooper ahead of Hurricane Milton, tied to a fence
"It was a call of a distressed animal, tethered down to a fence/pole… I just started heading in that direction…I was able to find a dog, clearly in water, in distress. It was a… pic.twitter.com/IC4ZVkhWce
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) May 28, 2025
🚨 BREAKING: Remember that dog left tied to a POLE before major Hurricane Milton in Florida? Governor Ron DeSantis just signed a new law making it a FELONY to commit this act.
It's called TROOPER'S LAW, named after that very dog.
Perpetrators will now face up to 5 years in… pic.twitter.com/Jl6bNX4UMN
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 28, 2025
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills into law designed to strengthen protections for animals, particularly dogs, by increasing penalties for aggravated cruelty and prohibiting the abandonment of restrained pets during natural disasters.
‘Trooper’s Law’ – Dog abandonment
- What it does: SB 150, brought by Sen. Don Gaetz and Rep. Phillip Griffitts in the House, creates a new offense of animal abandonment for abandoning a restrained dog outside during a natural disaster and makes it a third degree felony. The crime is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of not more than $10,000.
- Why: Last October, Tampa Florida Highway Patrol troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 as Hurricane Milton was expected to make landfall. “Trooper” has since been adopted.