Two animal cruelty bills, meant to protect animals across the state of Florida, were signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday.
Trooper's Law SB 150 , inspired by the Florida dog abandoned during Hurricane Milton evacuations and rescued by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper.
FHP troopers found Trooper, a Bull Terrier, in belly-high water, abandoned along Interstate 75, near Pebble Creek, north of Tampa during evacuations for Hurricane Milton last year.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Don Gaetz , would make abandoning a restrained animal during a natural disaster a third-degree felony. If convicted, the penalty would be up to five years in prison and up to a 10,000 fine.
Dexter's Law, CS/SB 494 , was also signed at Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee on Wednesday.