Before her tenure as Florida Attorney General and her nomination by Donald Trump as a potential U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi was involved in a heated legal battle over the custody of a rescued dog following Hurricane Katrina. The case, which drew significant public attention, highlighted Bondi’s tenacity, a trait she would later bring to her political career.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina left devastation in its wake, displacing countless families and pets. Among the rescued animals was Master Tank, a dog found by the Pinellas County Humane Society. Pam Bondi adopted the dog and renamed him Noah, believing he had been abandoned or left to fend for himself in dire conditions.
Months later, in January 2006, the dog’s original owners, Steve and Dorreen Couture, located Noah and sought to reclaim him. The Coutures had evacuated during the hurricane and claimed they had never intended to part with their pet. However, Bondi refused to return the dog, citing concerns over the family’s ability to care for him properly. She alleged that Noah had been severely neglected, suffering from malnourishment and health issues like heartworms when she first adopted him.
“I took a dog who was a walking skeleton,” Bondi told the St. Petersburg Times at the time. “If I thought I was sending him to a stable environment, where he would be cared for, as hard as it would be, I’d put him in my car and drive him back myself.”
The dispute spiraled into a protracted 16-month legal battle. Bondi maintained that her actions were in the dog’s best interest, framing her refusal as a promise to protect him from further harm. Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of the original owners, and Bondi returned the dog to the Coutures.
This chapter in Bondi’s life resurfaced as she became a prominent figure in U.S. politics. Trump recently praised her as “smart, tough, and an AMERICA FIRST Fighter,” highlighting her prosecutorial experience and commitment to public safety during her tenure as Florida’s attorney general.
While her legal career earned her accolades, the Hurricane Katrina dog custody case remains a polarizing episode, showcasing Bondi’s determination and raising questions about how far one should go to protect vulnerable animals.