WPBN: On Monday, the young bull terrier who was found dead after being tethered to a fence during Hurricane Milton’s landfall in Florida earlier this year found his forever home. Meanwhile, his accused abusive former owner is awaiting his court date for the horrific crime.
According to a Leon County Humane Society Facebook post, the puppy, named “Trooper,” was taken in by a devoted couple who had more than thirty years of experience with bull terriers.
After the devastating storm in October that killed 32 people around the southern United States, Frank and Carla Spina said they were devastated to learn of Trooper’s tragedy.
“We both looked at the video, and being bull terrier owners for 30 years, this is our 34th year of only raising that breed,” Frank Spina stated on Tuesday.
“I said to Carla that, ‘We need to go get him.’ She stated, ‘I’ll try.’ I don’t know how we would get him.”
As the devastating storm swiftly moved toward the Sunshine State, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper found the dog tethered to a fence near I-75 in Tampa.
In a widely shared video, the cop was shown stumbling over a soaked field before quickly saving the frightened puppy.
Then, after getting a call from the office of Governor Ron DeSantis, the Leon County Humane Society sent Trooper to a foster home in Tallahassee.
The dog-loving pair kept a careful eye on his status during his trip.A few weeks later, the Spinas noticed that Trooper’s adoption applications were now being accepted, and they immediately applied.
They expressed their passion for the bull terrier breed and their desire to have Trooper join their family in a touching two-page letter.
However, because the pup’s previous abuser was male and he hadn’t been acting appropriately around guys since being rescued, the shelter Trooper was staying at during his adoption process had some reservations.
However, being a seasoned owner of bull terriers, Frank Spina ignored their worries.
“I said, ‘Listen, we’re not going to have any trouble me and him. We’re going to be best buddies,'” he stated to the outlet.
“I said, ‘If we come get them on Friday, on Sunday, we’ll be sitting on the couch watching television.’ And they were like, ‘No way.'”
It was evident that the dog had found his forever home when the couple drove to meet Trooper.
“From the moment he was introduced to his new Mom and Dad, you could see that it was a perfect match,” as per the Leon County Humane Society.
It was evidently “a match made in heaven,” according to one of the shelter staff, and it seemed as though he had “cast a spell over him,” Frank Spina said.
The pair was thrilled to see how well the two dogs clicked right away. They also brought their other bull terrier, a female dog named Dallas.
“Dallas, her eyes lit up. It was like she saw Prince Charming, so those two got along,” he stated.
“When this poor dog was left out there,” DeSantis stated. “we said … we’re going to nail you when we find out who did it. And that’s exactly what they’re doing here in Hillsborough County with State Attorney Lopez.”
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“You don’t just tie up a dog and have them out there for a storm. Totally unacceptable, and we’re going to hold you accountable,” DeSantis stated previously.
Garcia will not return the dog to him and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the offense, according to Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
