During Hurricane Milton last year, troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol rescued a bull terrier from the side of the highway that had been chained up to a fence and abandoned during hurricane evacuations. The troopers who rescued him later gave him the perfect name: Trooper.
In response to this story and to ensure animal safety during this hurricane season and all future ones, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enacted a law on May 28th called “Trooper’s Law”. This law cracks down on animal cruelty, making it a felony to restrain or abandon an animal during an official emergency and in the preparation stage – punishable with up to five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Also included in “Trooper’s Law” are penalties for abandoning or confining an animal without sufficient water, food, or exercise. These penalties come in the form of a misdemeanor and similar fines to the felony charges.
Photos by Maia Feasel, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
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