Florida’s Governor DeSantis Signs Tough Law Punishing Animal Abusers Like Aldama Garcia

When Hurricane Milton whipped through Florida last year, a dog abandoned and tied to a fence was spotted and rescued by Highway Patrol. The bull terrier was taken in by the Leon County Animal Shelter;a video of the dog left alone on Interstate 75 with water rising to his chest went viral.

Frank Spina saw the heart-wrenching clip of the dog, now named Trooper after his rescuers, and so he and his wife drove from South Florida to Tallahassee to adopt the refugee. Trooper’s ordeal was so dramatic it inspired a new state animal-cruelty law that takes effect this week.

Trooper’s Law elevates existing animal-cruelty violations and first-degree misdemeanor penalties for not providing caged animals with adequate water, food, and exercise – or for abandoning an animal during extreme weather events. Violators could face jail time, up to five years behind bars, as well as fines reaching $10,000.

(The original miscreant, 23-year-old Aldama Garcia of Ruskin, Florida, had been arrested for aggravated animal cruelty. Released on $2,500 bond, Garcia’s court hearings have not yet been fully resolved; he has admitted to abandoning his dog but is contesting the cruelty charge.)

Soon after his rescue, the bull terrier had a cancerous tumor removed; that’s when veterinarians discovered his stomach was rife with trash. “They removed over a hundred pieces of garbage from his stomach,” Spina told ABC affiliate Tampa Bay 28, as he described the mix of metal, plastic, rubber, and foam Trooper had ingested.

But Trooper is living extremely well now, thanks to tender care given by the Spina family. His star turn on “Good Morning America” and other news outlets has made him a minor celebrity. The new law he has inspired might help prevent future acts of cruelty in the state.

“Across Florida, we have seen horrifying instances of animal cruelty that demand a stronger response,” Governor Ron DeSantis said in a statement. “Florida stands by man's best friend.”

Photo credit: Florida Highway Patrol