TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Gray News) – A dog that was abandoned by its previous owner ahead of Hurricane Milton has been adopted into a loving new family.
According to a post from the Leon County Humane Society, Trooper was adopted by a new mom and dad, Frank and Carla.
Trooper’s story made it to national news after he was found tied to a fence in neck-deep water when Hurricane Milton hit Florida in October.
A Florida Highway Patrol officer who stopped to rescue Trooper shared a video of the dog online, garnering shock and heartbreak.
The Leon County Humane Society eventually took Trooper in and spread his story far and wide as people sought justice for his abandonment.
On Monday, the shelter posted a heartwarming update to Trooper’s story as he was adopted by a pair of new owners. They were a perfect match.
The shelter said Trooper would be on edge and uncomfortable when meeting with other people. However, with Frank and Carla, Trooper seemed to be immediately at ease, playing with his toys and going to them to receive pets and cuddles.
The couple met with Trooper over a period of a few weeks to test the waters and get acquainted.
But it wasn’t just the new owners the shelter wanted to test out. Frank and Carla have another dog, a miniature bullterrier named Dallas, that Trooper would also need to get along with.
Dallas had been grieving the loss of another dog owned by Frank and Carla, another bull terrier rescue named Diesel, who died in April.
Fortunately, Trooper and Dallas took to each other right away, pressing foreheads together with furiously wagging tails as soon as they met.
“The moment Trooper and Dallas’ eyes met; it was love at first sight,” the shelter posted.
When Trooper was taken to his forever home, he and Dallas had the same reaction upon seeing each other.
After shelter employees left the home, they said they immediately received a photo from Frank and Carla of Trooper relaxing on their couch.
The shelter said there were no shortages of applications for Trooper, with dog lovers nationwide emailing to inquire about adopting this dog who had been through so much.
With such a hard choice to make, the shelter said it is confident it made the right one.
“Frank and Carla are incredibly kind, thoughtful, and compassionate people,” the shelter said. “They have a dog trainer they’ve worked with for their current dog and past dogs who came out to meet and start helping Trooper with acclimating to his new environment right away, and they have plenty of patience and breed experience. Their hearts are wide open and ready to love this dog how he deserves to be loved.”
The Leon County Humane Society said it encourages anyone who has been inspired by Trooper’s journey to think about adopting one of the numerous other animals in need of a loving home.
Donations can also be made to help support the shelter’s efforts to care for animals in need.
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