Dog rescued by troopers on I-75 ahead of Hurricane Milton not reunited with family despite rumors: LCHS

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Published  October 10, 2024 9:42pm EDT
FOX 13 News
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Dog tied to pole rescued in Tampa

Troopers rescued a dog they found tied to a pole on I-75 in Tampa as Hurricane Milton approached the area.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A dog who gained national attention after being rescued by a state trooper who found him tied to a pole in belly-high water as Hurricane Milton approached is safe at the Leon County Humane Society. 

The animal shelter said it posted about the dog, who has been named ‘Trooper’, after seeing misinformation floating on social media. 

After being rescued from a pole on I-75 near Bruce B. Downs, the Florida Highway Patrol said the dog was taken to a vet and given a clean bill of health. 

The Leon County Humane Society says it was contacted by the governor’s office on Wednesday and picked him up from the Department of Emergency Services because of the damage Hurricane Milton was expected to cause in the Bay Area. 

'Trooper' is decompressing at the Leon County Humane Society after being found tied to a pole ahead of Hurricane Milton. Image is courtesy of the Leon County Humane Society.  

While the Leon County Humane Society acknowledged that ‘Trooper’ did stop at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center, it says he was not chipped and was not reunited with his family. 

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The animal shelter said ‘Trooper’ is stressed and decompressing, adding that it has no idea what the dog’s life looked like before he was abandoned. 

According to shelter officials, ‘Trooper’ will be in foster care until they feel he is ready for the next phase of his life. 

The Leon County Humane Society said 'Trooper' did stop at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center but was not chipped and was not reunited with anyone. Image is courtesy of the Leon County Humane Society. 

In a post on social media, the Leon County Humane Society stated that despite rumors circulating online, the dog is in its care and was not reunited with anyone. 

The post states, "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. 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. We wanted to let those who have been following this story know that he is safe and sound, because we've been worried about him since seeing his story. We also want those following to know that we take animal abandonment seriously and will be closely watching his case and using his experience to educate." 

The shelter acknowledged that many people will be interested in adopting Trooper, but stated that he is not up for adoption and will not be accepting applications or inquiries. 

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