People across the country were heartbroken this week over a poor dog who was left tied up to a pole, left to die in the path of Hurricane Milton.

While there are still some unanswered questions about the case, the dog is now in good hands and has a fitting new name.

Original story: Florida dog left for dead

On the morning of October 9, Florida Highway Patrol troopers in Tampa rescued a dog who was found tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

It was a heartbreaking sight: the dog was tied up by his collar, left standing with his legs submerged in water.

As the troopers approached, the dog growled at them, understandably frightened. “I don’t blame you,” one of the troopers reassures the dog. “It’s okay, buddy.”

Making things even worse, the dog was left there ahead of Hurricane Milton, which left a massive path of destruction across Florida and left at least 16 people dead. There’s no doubt the dog would have perished if he had been left tied to that pole.

The heartbreaking story touched hearts across the US, with many wondering who could’ve done such a thing and demanding justice, while also thanking the troopers for their life-saving rescue. The case even got the attention of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles later announced that the dog was “safe and receiving care.” He was examined for injuries and reportedly received a clear bill of health.

Update and new name

There are still unanswered questions about the case: it is still unknown who left the dog tied up like that, whether he had a previous owner or if he was found as a stray.

But we do know that that the dog is now in safe hands at the Leon County Humane Society in Tallahassee. “We wanted to let those who have been following this story know that he is safe and sound,” they wrote on Facebook.

“Leaving this dog in this way was completely unacceptable and endangered not only his life, but could have endangered others by causing a hazard on an already busy and stressful evacuation route,” Leon County Humane Society wrote. “It was cruel, and it was thoughtless not only toward him, but toward the people who were trying their best to handle the incoming storm.”

“We can’t imagine the situation that ended with him tied to this pole and left him without any hope. It’s hard even to think about how scared he must have been as cars raced by, the water rose to his belly, and the storm clouds darkened.”

The humane society also announced that the dog has a fitting new name: “His name is Trooper, because of how much he’s been through and to honor those who saved him,” they wrote.

Trooper was previously taken to Hillsborough Pet Resource Center, and was found to not have a microchip. Some erroneously reported on social media that he had been returned to his owners, because he had been picked up by the same trooper who brought him in.

While the Humane Society has received many inquiries from people interested in adopting Trooper, they stressed that the dog was still recovering from his abandonment and it could be a while before he is up for adoption.

“He’s incredibly stressed and still decompressing,” they wrote. “Abandoning a dog like this doesn’t typically allow for an immediate bounce back to their happy selves. Most dogs when rescued take a few days to feel safe, a few weeks to come out of their shell, and a few months to become comfortable and fall into a routine.”

The shelter promised to update if and when Trooper is up for adoption, but in the meantime he is safe in a foster home.

“We have absolutely no idea what his life looked like before he was abandoned,” the Humane Society wrote. “We want to be sure that we know exactly what he needs before even considering adoption, so he’ll be in foster care until we feel confident he’s ready for the next phase of life, and that his future will be kind to him.”

It’s heartbreaking that this sweet dog was abandoned and left for dead, but we’re glad Trooper is in safe hands and hope he goes on to a great new life.

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