A 5-year-old bull terrier that was abandoned and reportedly tied to a post in chest-deep water as Hurricane Milton barreled toward Florida in October has found a new home.
Over the last few weeks, hundreds have applied to be Trooper’s forever family after he was rescued from Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm, by Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Orlando Morales.
“I was kinda enraged at some point, how could anybody just possibly even think of doing an act like this, it was just awful,” Morales previously told CBS News when he was reunited with his four-legged friend.
Amy Raddar with the Leon County Humane Society in Tallahassee, Florida, said they were looking for a very specific adopter for Trooper.
“The outpouring has been so great,” she said.
Bull terriers are a unique breed, known for being sweet dogs, but are also high energy, strong and stubborn.
“I don’t always say people have to have breed experience, but in that particular dog, I think it’s important,” Raddar added.
Carla and Frank Spina, who live 400 miles away from Tallahassee, in Parkland, Florida, have 33 years of experience with bull terriers.
A friend forwarded a story about Trooper to the couple.
“I said to Frank, ‘Did you hear this story?’ And see I’m going to start crying, and he said, ‘Yeah, I didn’t tell you because I knew you would get upset,'” Carla Spina said.
The Spinas are bull terrier owners and love the breed. They got their first, named Krunchie, in 1992, followed by Diesel. A few years ago, they adopted Dallas.
“We’ve always had an infinity for bull terriers. That’s the breed that we love, they’re special,” said Frank Spina.
They said when they saw Trooper, they knew his needs and wanted to help. They applied to adopt the beloved dog, but there was one major hurdle. Trooper is weary of men because of his past trauma and the humane society wasn’t sure it would work out because of Frank.
The Spinas drove more than seven hours to Tallahassee to see if Trooper would fit in their family.
“Amy said, ‘Frank, why don’t you sit on that bench and see what happens?’ He came over and he got under my legs and I started scratching and his foot started moving,” Frank Spina said.
It was a perfect match, giving Trooper who was once tossed aside, a loving forever family.
“We will take good care of him,” Carla Spina told Raddar when she dropped off Trooper. “We just want everyone to know we are going to give him the best life.”
For the Spinas, it feels like their family’s missing piece was found.
“We are like living in a dream,” said Frank Spina. “We just can’t believe that a month ago we saw a news report and now a month later he’s in my bedroom.”
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