A 'Trooper': Florida dog rescued from Hurricane Milton on I-75 awaits adoption

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. − The dog tied to a fence along Interstate 75 as Hurricane Milton approached Florida is a real "Trooper."

The dog, which appears to be a Bull Terrier, is now in the care of the Leon County Humane Society, in Tallahassee. In a video clip widely shared on social media, a Florida state trooper is shown spotting the abandoned pooch tied to a fence along I-75 in Tampa with stormwater rising to the dog's chest.

After sparking an online outcry, the dog – now named "Trooper" – was pictured in his cozy blanket and plush bed in a post on the local society's Facebook page Thursday. The post explained his new name "for how much he's been through and to honor those who saved him."

"We wanted to let those who have been following this story know that he is safe and sound, because we've been worried about him since seeing his story," the post says. "We also want those following to know that we take animal abandonment seriously and will be closely watching his case and using his experience to educate."

Trooper was picked up Wednesday night after the shelter was contacted by the governor’s office, the post explained.

Hundreds of thousands fled to escape Milton, which spawned a series of devastating tornadoes around the state. Trooper, it seems, was not included in his previous owner's evacuation plans, causing heartbreak on social media.

A 36-second video posted on social media by the Florida Highway Patrol-Tampa showed the dog stranded and tied to a fence, up to his belly in water on the side of I-75 as the storm approached the Tampa Bay area.

Gov. Ron DeSantis reposted the video, saying it was "cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm. FL will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable."

At a Wednesday evening news conference about the storm, the governor added, "What kind of an animal would just leave a dog chained to a pole in the middle of a hurricane? I mean, it's just unbelievable."

Trooper's story highlighted the issue of animal cruelty and abandonment, and the Leon County Humane Society has been able to raise $1,603 for dogs with similar stories and to help with its daily rescue efforts, it says.

The shelter says it will keep Trooper's fans apprised on his recovery.

The dog is still "stressed and still decompressing" from the events of the last days. He'll be finding a new home when he's ready for the "next phase of life."

How to help

∎ Go to leoncountyhumane.org/donate.

This article contains previously reported information. Kyla Sanford can be reached at ksanford@tallahassee.com.