A man left his dog tied to a fence in Florida while evacuating for Hurricane Milton. Gov. DeSantis signed a bill May 28 making it a 3rd-degree felony.

Florida has taken a significant step to combat animal cruelty with the enactment of "Dexter's Law," a new piece of legislation that stiffens penalties for aggravated animal cruelty and creates the state's first public registry of convicted animal abusers.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two new bills into law Tuesday aimed at strengthening Florida's animal protection laws — a move hailed as a significant step forward by advocates, though many say it's only the beginning.