Gov. DeSantis signs Dexter's Law, Trooper's Law targeting animal abuse

Animal abuse bills signed into law

Evan Axelbank reports.

LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. - Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a pair of bills into law on Wednesday morning targeting animal cruelty in Florida.

The governor signed Dexter's Law and Trooper's Law during a news conference in Loxahatchee.

Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs Dexter's Law and Trooper's Law in Loxahatchee on May 28, 2025.

Dexter's Law

The backstory:

Dexter's Law increases punishment for especially heinous animal cruelty cases, and establishes an offender database on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's website. Those on the registry will be banned from owning, living with or working with an animal.

"This legislation sends a signal," said Lauree Simmons of Big Dog Ranch Rescue. "Enough is enough."

It's named in honor of a rescue dog who was found decapitated and dumped in a Pinellas County park shortly after he was adopted.

Pictured: Dexter.

In February, a jury convicted Domingo Rodriguez of aggravated cruelty to animals and unlawful disposal of bodies of dead animals. The judge sentenced him to a little more than a year in jail and a $500 fine.

Trooper's Law

Trooper's Law makes abandoning an animal during a natural disaster a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

It's named in honor of a dog found abandoned by a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol ahead of Hurricane Milton. The dog was tethered to a fence on I-75 in Tampa.

Trooper the dog on the side of I-75 in Tampa before Hurricane Milton.

Trooper Orlando Morales was called to the side of a highway to save a dog who was left there with a hurricane approaching.

"It was a horrific moment to be in," said Morales. "But, I was just thankful I was able to find him."

Trooper’s original owner, Giovanny Aldama Garcia, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, which is a third-degree felony. Court records show he is currently awaiting trial.

The governor pointed out hotels accept pets during hurricanes, and there are always pet-friendly shelters in each county.

"There's really no reason that you would need to be in a situation where you're leaving a dog behind," said DeSantis.

Trooper is now living with a family in South Florida.

What they're saying:

"Across Florida, we've seen horrifying instances of animal cruelty that demand a stronger response from our justice system," DeSantis said.

"You've got that small number of people who just don't have the same basic care for the pets and these animals that almost everybody else does, and that can turn very sadistic, as we saw in Dexter's case," DeSantis continued.

Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a news conference in Loxahatchee on May 28, 2025.

"How someone treats an animal speaks volumes of their character and your character and your family's character, and the character of the people who rescue animals is beyond reproach," Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner said.

What's next:

Trooper's Law goes into effect on July 1, while Dexter's Law and the database will go into effect on January 1, 2026.

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The Source: This story was written with information from a news conference on May 28, 2025, along with previous FOX 13 News reports.

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