Trooper was found tied to a fence on the side of I-75 in Tampa.

Leon County Humane Society

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Leon County Humane Society

A dog — rescued in Tampa by the Florida Highway Patrol after being tied to a fence and left in the rain hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall — is now in foster care and has a new, fitting name.

“His name is Trooper because of what he went through and to honor those who saved him,” the Leon County Humane Society in Tallahassee said in a statement.

According to a video released Wednesday morning by the Florida Highway Patrol, Trooper was spotted on the side of I-75 in Tampa. He was less than 100 miles from where Milton had landed.

In the video, which has now been viewed over 11 million times, a third of the dog’s body appeared to be submerged in water. There was no sign of his owner returning or how long the dog had been outside.

“It’s OK, it’s OK,” an unidentified state trooper said as he approached the pooch. The dog growled and barked back, to which the officer replied, “I don’t blame you.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis posted again The video added that the state will “hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable.”

On Thursday, the Leon County Humane Society said its canine coordinator received a call from the governor’s office about Trooper and picked him up. According to the rescue organization, Trooper was not microchipped.

“We cannot imagine the situation that ended with him tied to that pole with no hope left,” the Humane Society said. “It’s hard to imagine how scared he must have been as cars raced past, the water rose to his stomach and the storm clouds darkened.”

The organization described Trooper as “incredibly stressed and still depressing” but “smiled” a few times.

Since announcing Trooper was in their care, the rescue group says it has received dozens of inquiries about adoption. For now, however, their main focus is helping the dog feel safe and comfortable in their new surroundings.

The Leon County Humane Society said Trooper showed signs of stress, but he has “smiled” a few times since being in their care.

Leon County Humane Society

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Leon County Humane Society

“We have absolutely no idea what his life was like before he was abandoned,” the Humane Society said. “We want to be sure we know exactly what he needs before we even consider adoption. Therefore, he will remain in foster care until we are sure that he is ready for the next phase of his life and that his future will be good for him.”

Milton made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Flooding caused devastating damage throughout West Florida, while several tornadoes touched down in a retirement community on Florida’s east coast.

At least 11 people have died in Florida as a result of Milton. According to PowerOutage.us, over 2 million customers remain without power in the state.