The Florida Senate has unanimously passed “Trooper’s Law,” a measure designed to protect animals from cruelty during natural disasters. The bill, named after a dog found tied to a fence along Interstate 75 during Hurricane Milton, would create a new felony offense for abandoning dogs outdoors during such events.
Senate Bill 150 (SB 150) would make it a third-degree felony to restrain and abandon a dog outside during a natural disaster.
The legislation was inspired by the story of Trooper, a dog discovered surrounded by floodwaters in October after being tied to a fence along I-75. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper rescued the dog, who was subsequently adopted after being taken to the Tallahassee Humane Society.
The House version of the bill (HB 205), filed by Rep. Griff Griffitts, R-Panama City Beach, is now ready for a vote by the full House.
If passed by the House and signed into law by the governor, “Trooper’s Law” will provide stronger protections for animals during hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters.
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