‘We’re so blessed to have him’: Parkland family adopts abused and abandoned dog
By Gail Levy, Aaron Page
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PARKLAND, Florida (WSVN) — A bull terrier named Trooper found his forever family after being abandoned during Hurricane Milton.
A few hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall, Florida Highway Patrol troopers discovered a dog tied to a fence near the I-75 in Tampa.
“When we received them, he was still raw,” said Frank Spina. “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,’” said Carla Spina. “It’s just, who could do that?”
Trooper was found standing in the midst of a puddle with water all the way up to his chest, appearing visibly distressed.
After successfully rescuing him, FHP troopers named the pup “Trooper” and brought him to a shelter, where he began the smooth journey to a new home.
Beginning at Hillsborough County shelter, FHP transported him to Leon County Humane Society in the wake of the storm.
“First he was at Hillsborough County shelter,” said Carla. “Then they transported him, because of the storm, to Leon County Humane Society. Poor thing then went to a great foster home.”
The pup spent four weeks at a foster home before Frank and Carla Spina heard back from the Leon County Humane Society.
“They told me the story about him being abused by a male. I said, ‘I’ve done this for 33 years. I just need five minutes,’” said Frank. “Within 60 seconds, he was under my legs, and I was scratching him, and he was smiling.”
Determined to show the once-abandoned pup a new home, they drove seven and a half hours from Parkland to Tallahassee, with their other rescued Bull Terrier in tow.
“He’s daddy’s boy,” said Frank. “We think we turned him around. We’re so lucky. We’re so blessed to have him.”
Now, Trooper has both new parents and a new sister named Dallas. He has been with his new family for the past four weeks, adjusting to his new life.
“It was like she had stars in her eyes, like she met Prince Charming first,” said Frank.
Frank and Carla hope other people will help give dogs a new chance at life through adoption.
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