A 23-year-old man from Ruskin, Florida, has been arrested and charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty after authorities say he left his dog behind in floodwaters while people were evacuating the Gulf Coast before Hurricane Milton hit.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the dog, nicknamed Trooper, was found last Wednesday in chest-deep floodwaters near Interstate 75, close to Tampa, just hours before Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, made landfall. Troopers rescued Trooper, who was visibly distressed, and took him to a vet. Thankfully, Trooper was unharmed and received a clean bill of health.
“We take this crime very seriously, and the defendant will face the consequences of his actions,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez, whose office covers the Tampa area.
The incident came to light after a passing driver spotted the dog tied up and struggling in the rising waters and called it in. Trooper was described as “trembling and in severe distress” when troopers found him. Authorities emphasized the dangerous conditions at the time, with heavy traffic as people evacuated and floodwaters rising rapidly, making the dog’s situation even more dire.
Investigators tracked down the owner after he showed up at a local animal shelter looking for Trooper. By then, the dog had already been moved to a shelter in Tallahassee and placed with a foster family. The owner agreed to give up the dog, provided the foster family would take good care of him.
The arrest report highlights the unnecessary suffering caused by leaving Trooper behind in such dangerous conditions. “Given the flooding and the rush of evacuations, the dog’s situation was dire,” the trooper wrote in the report.
During questioning, the owner waived his right to remain silent and gave a statement, although details of what he said were redacted in the report.
Trooper has since been placed in a loving foster home, where he’s reportedly doing well. His foster family is considering adopting him permanently to ensure he never goes through something like this again.
The case has sparked interest from animal rights groups, who are calling for stronger punishments for animal neglect, especially during disasters when pets are at high risk. Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to prosecuting cases of animal cruelty under such circumstances.