Dog tied to fence, abandoned during Hurricane Milton beats cancer after finding forever family

A dog who was abandoned as Hurricane Milton closed in on Florida last October is overcoming new challenges but, thanks to his new family, he is surviving and thriving.

A dog who was abandoned as Hurricane Milton closed in on Florida last October is overcoming new challenges, but thanks to his new family, he is surviving and thriving.

Police said a 5-year-old bull terrier was tied to a post and abandoned in rising floodwaters near Tampa, Florida, as Hurricane Milton approached. Trooper Orlando Morales got a tip from a driver about the animal on the side of the road and searched until he spotted the struggling dog.

Body camera footage of his discovery shows Trooper Morales crossing a flooded field to reach the dog, which was standing in water up to its chest as rain poured down.

The dog growls and barks at Morales, who attempts to reassure the abandoned animal.

"I don't blame you," the trooper can be heard telling the dog. "I don't blame you. It's OK."

The terrified dog was rescued and later named 'Trooper' to honor the trooper who found him.

Trooper’s previous ex-owner, 23-year-old Giovanny Aldama Garcia of Ruskin, Florida, was identified and arrested on felony aggravated animal cruelty charges. He is charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony. Garcia agreed to give up Trooper to a foster family if "they would take good care and love the dog," his arrest report stated.

After spending time in a foster home, Trooper was adopted by Parkland residents Frank and Carla Spina.

“When we received them, he was still raw,” Frank Spina told KTVZ21. “The previous owners had abused him.”

“I was in tears, and the first thing I said was, ‘Oh, my God, we have to save this dog,’” Carla Spina added. “It’s just, who could do that?”

Just two weeks into Trooper’s new life, the Spinas noticed some small lumps on his side that a veterinarian diagnosed as cancer. Trooper had cheated death once, and now he was in a new battle for his life.

“The doctor immediately said, ‘Oh no, these are mass cell tumors. These are cancer.’ So we were in a complete meltdown,” Frank Spina told CBS News. "We don't have children. These are our children," Frank Spina said about the couple's dogs, Trooper and another bull terrier named Dallas.

"When we left the doctor's office that day after he got his stitches out, the doctor said he's done, he's cancer free. We were literally in tears, just walking to the car, happy tears."

But Trooper's struggle wasn't over. While removing the cancer, the veterinarian also noted that the dog had stomach issues because he had ingested pounds of garbage, including a freezer bag.

“...A combination of about 110 or 120 pieces of garbage,” Frank said.

Another life-saving surgery resulted in the removal of metal, rubber and other garbage from Trooper's stomach that the vet said was inside the dog before he was adopted.

“Could you imagine how starved he had to be to ingest a piece of metal or, or pieces of rubber that are the size of quarters?” Frank said.

Trooper’s previous owner, Giovanny Aldama Garcia has a court hearing in March, and the Spinas said they will be there.

Trooper has lived up to his new name and is cancer-free and recovering from stomach surgery. He happily spends his days with the Spinas and his dog sister, Dallas.

In January, the Florida legislature introduced a bill called “Trooper’s Law” that would increase the penalties for abandoning animals using a restraint during a natural disaster and make doing so a third-degree felony, which could lead to a five-year prison sentence and a fine up to $10,000. If passed, the bill would take effect July 1.

Frank Spina posted that Trooper was honored this week by the mayor and city committee of Parkland, Florida, as Parkland’s Favorite Dog. "It was a very nice ceremony attended by Sgt. Mellow Scheetz of the Florida Highway Patrol. The evening was capped off by Sgt. Scheetz bestowing on Trooper a FHP badge engraved 'Junior Trooper.' What special people! What a special night!"

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