Most of us here at Twitchy have a special place in our hearts for dogs. This writer, in particular, is known for getting a little leaky around the ocular region, thinking about all dogs do for us and the joy they bring into our lives. 

Contrarily, there is no fury quite so intense as what we feel when we see stories of people abusing their pets. COVID was a particularly rough time for that, with countless stories of people who adopted pets during lockdowns only to abandon them when those restrictions were lifted. And, of course, it was during COVID that we also learned that Tony Fauci was one of the most evil people in history, with his cruel and pointless experiments on beagle puppies. 

But people do horrible things to our four-legged friends at other times as well, and at least one politician in America is doing everything he can to put an end to it.

Yesterday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed two animal protection bills into law: Trooper's Law and Dexter's Law. The governor explained the abuses he had witnessed that motivated him to enact this legislation. 

• Trooper’s Law, inspired by the dog that was left chained up in the path of Hurricane Milton and rescued by FHP last year. Leaving a dog to suffer alone in a storm is inhumane, and this legislation makes it a felony in Florida. 

• Dexter’s Law, named after a shelter dog that was brutally killed in Pinellas County days after being adopted. This new legislation strengthens penalties for aggravated animal cruelty, ensuring that offenders will be held accountable.

In an X post later in the day, DeSantis provided an infographic that outlined some of the penalties that are now in place for animal abuse. 

Five years in prison, huge fines, and an animal abuser database all sound like outstanding ideas. 

DeSantis was being restrained when he told the story about Dexter above. That dog wasn't just killed after it was adopted; it was cruelly decapitated and then dumped in a park. 

As for Trooper, Twitchy covered his story when he was abandoned during Hurricane Milton, but here is a reminder of the Florida Highway Patrol hero who found and rescued him: 

Florida pressed felony charges against Trooper's owner, and the only thing that makes us as happy as Trooper being rescued is that other cruel and irresponsible owners will now face the same fate. 

Here is a video of DeSantis signing the bills, accompanied by man's best friend. 

The Florida Highway Patrol officer who found Trooper was also present at the signing ceremony.

That must be contagious or something. 

While Trooper's Law is focused mainly on dogs, Dexter's Law applies its aggravated cruelty punishments for any type of animal abuse. 

In other words, Fauci probably should not plan any of his sick experiments in Florida. 

Florida is leading the way, but we should note that Ohio has also passed similar strict laws against animal abuse and abandonment.

Florida and many other states also have laws in place making any recording and depiction of animal abuse a federal offense. 

It should be a national database, but maybe we will get that soon. 

The best kind of applause anyone could ever receive. 

As the saying goes, God sent them to us without wings so we would not suspect they are angels. 

We are thankful that Ron DeSantis and Florida have taken strong steps to protect those angels better than ever before.