Rescued Dog Trooper Overcomes Cancer and Inspires Animal Welfare Legislation

Trooper, abandoned during Hurricane Milton, finds a loving home, survives severe health challenges, and becomes the face of a proposed Florida law against animal abandonment.

• Trooper, a bull terrier rescued by a Florida Highway Patrol officer during Hurricane Milton, was abandoned and tied to a fence in rising floodwaters near Tampa.
• Frank and Karla Spina adopted Trooper after his rescue, providing him with a new home alongside their other dog, Dallas.
• Shortly after adoption, Trooper underwent surgery to remove cancerous tumors and later required a four-hour procedure to extract over two pounds of ingested debris from his stomach.
• Trooper's former owner, Giovanny Garcia, has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty and faces legal proceedings in March 2025.
• Trooper's story has inspired 'Trooper's Law,' a proposed Florida bill to impose stricter penalties for abandoning animals during natural disasters.

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