Officials say a man who allegedly left his dog tied to a pole in floodwaters ahead of Hurricane Milton has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.
The animal was rescued by Highway Patrol near a Florida highway on October 9.
Bodycam footage posted onlinewhich has been viewed more than 12 million times, showed a dog standing next to a wire fence in chest-deep water.
Its former owner, Giovanna Aldama Garcia, was arrested on Monday, according to the state highway safety authority.
He reportedly told investigators he abandoned the animal, originally called Jumbo, because he was leaving Florida due to a storm and couldn’t find anyone to care for him.
According to ABC News, Mr. Aldama Garcia later agreed to give up ownership after he showed up at the animal shelter where the dog was being cared for and tried to take it back.
The 23-year-old could face up to five years in prison if found guilty of animal cruelty.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Jumbo, now renamed Trooper after the highway patrol officer who rescued him, will be adopted.
“You can’t just tie up a dog and let it out in the storm, which is completely unacceptable,” DeSantis said at a news conference Tuesday.
State’s Attorney Suzy Lopez said Trooper “touched the hearts of many people.” She added that if the dog had not been saved, it would have faced “certain death.”
The Leon County Humane Society, which cared for the dog before it was placed in foster care, said it has received hundreds of inquiries about Trooper.
Hurricane Milton barreled through Florida last week after making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane. Thousands of people had to be rescued from flooded areas.
According to official estimates, at least 24 people died as a result of the storm.