TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) \u2014 Leon County Humane Society Foster Coordinator Amy Raddar has fostered thousands of dogs. Her care for Trooper, a Bull Terrier abandoned during Hurricane Milton, inspired the passage of \u201cTrooper\u2019s Law,\u201d which protects pets during natural disasters.<\/p>\n
Raddar was entrusted to care for Trooper, a Bull Terrier, found tied to a fence along I-75 during Hurricane Milton in 2024.Trooper\u2019s Law makes restraining or abandoning an animal outside during a declared natural disaster or evacuation order a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.Watch the video below to hear more about her and Trooper’s story. <\/p>\n
Meet the Tallahassee woman whose dedication to animals helped inspire the passing of Trooper\u2019s Law<\/p>\n
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hard to count on one hand the number of animals that have reached Tallahassee neighbor Amy Raddar\u2019s care.<\/p>\n
She says this labor of love started as a child.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing is to me more rewarding than taking this poor broken being and raising it back up and putting it in a better situation than it came out of,\u201d Raddar said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s led to her fostering more than 1000 dogs and a proclamation<\/a> from the City of Tallahassee, driven by one case close to her heart.<\/p>\n \u201cHow did Trooper come into the picture?\u201d ABC 27 asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was during the hurricane, and I just remember I was home. It was like 8 o’clock. Then I got a phone call on my phone,\u201d Raddar said.<\/p>\n Trooper is the name of this Bull Terrier.<\/p>\n Florida Highway Patrol troopers found him tied to a fence along I-75 during Hurricane Milton in 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cGovernor DeSantis, somebody in his camp had called and said, \u2018Listen, here’s what happened, you know, he’s here we need a place for him to go. Would you take him?\u2019 and I was like \u2018Yeah,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The story got national and international attention, and it led to the creation of Trooper\u2019s Law<\/a> in Florida.<\/p>\n It makes \u201crestraining or abandoning an animal outdoors during a declared natural disaster or during evacuation orders\u201d a third-degree felony<\/a>.<\/p>\n Anyone in violation can face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels great. We need obviously you know we need to do more. We need stronger laws,\u201d Raddar said.<\/p>\n Executive Director of the Leon County Humane Society Lisa Glunt says the law is just the beginning of work done to protect animals.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s still a need for fosters.<\/p>\n \u201cWe see more of a struggle in terms of fostering now than I think we even did 10 years ago,\u201d Glunt said.<\/p>\n She hopes Amy\u2019s and Trooper\u2019s story inspires others to make a difference.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope that people will open their minds to what they could do in their own home,\u201d Glunt said.<\/p>\n Amy tells me she still checks up on Trooper every once in a while. He is now adopted by a family.<\/p>\n If you want to become a foster, you can fill out an application online<\/a>.<\/p>\n Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. <\/a><\/p>\n Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.<\/p>\n Like us on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us on Instagram <\/a>and X.<\/a><\/p>\n