Ron DeSantis just sent a clear message to Florida as Hurricane Isaias hits: leave a dog tied up outside during this storm and you’re looking at a felony. Under Trooper’s Law (in effect since October 1, 2025), restraining a dog outdoors and abandoning it during a hurricane, tropical storm, tornado warning, or any evacuation order is now a third-degree felony. That can mean up to 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The law is named after Trooper — a bull terrier a Florida Highway Patrol trooper found chained to a fence on I-75 near Tampa in 2024, standing in rising floodwater as Hurricane Milton approached. He was rescued and later adopted. DeSantis called it cruel then and said Florida would hold people accountable. Now the law is actually on the books. Pet-friendly shelters are open. Take your dogs with you. Tying them up and leaving them to face the storm is no longer a slap on the wrist — it’s a felony.