Gabrielle Russon
The Senate passed “Trooper’s Law” — the legislation prompting new reform after a dog was tied up and abandoned during a hurricane last year.
The bill was passed 39-0 on the Senate floor Wednesday with little discussion.
The amended version of SB 150 would make restraining and abandoning a dog outside during a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, a third-degree felony.
The bill, which previously referenced a more general “animal,” was amended to match the House version, said sponsor Sen. Don Gaetz.
No cat-lovers spoke out in protest.
Meanwhile, the House companion (HB 205) is on second reading.
A 5-year-old bull dog terrier was abandoned and tied up along the Interstate near Tampa as Hurricane Milton hit Florida last year. The dog stood in rising waters and caught the attention of Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales, who rescued the animal.
The footage went viral.
“The video is very heartbreaking,” said Rep. Griff Griffitts, who sponsored the House version, during the committee process.
Gov. Ron DeSantis applauded the rescue effort during his State of the State address earlier this month.
The legislation has received support from outside groups including the Florida Smart Justice Alliance, the Humane Society of the United States and Florida Animal Control Association.
The dog, who was renamed Trooper after the person who saved him, has since been adopted and found a new home. The dog has been battling health issues in recent months according to media reports.
The dog’s ex-owner who abandoned him, Giovanny Garcia, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty last year.
Gaetz said the sad situation prompted change in Tallahassee.
“Sometimes we get to do a good thing about a bad thing, and that’s this bill,” Gaetz said earlier this month in a committee hearing.
