US President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, was once at the centre of a legal dispute over a dog named Tank, whose story continues to draw attention. The saga began in 2005 when Tank, a St. Bernard, was separated from his Louisiana owners, Steve and Dorreen Couture, during Hurricane Katrina. Tank was later taken to the Pinellas Humane Society in Florida, where Ms Bondi, a prominent animal rights advocate, adopted him and renamed him Noah.
Ms Bondi, who served as Florida’s attorney general, was known for her active support of animal rights, even promoting causes like the 2018 Florida ballot measure to ban dog racing. But her involvement with Tank stirred controversy, especially when the dog’s original owners tracked him down in 2006.
Ms Bondi argued that Tank had been seriously neglected by the Coutures, citing medical issues like heartworms that had severely affected the dog’s health. “He was dying from heartworms. They had filled his heart,” she told The St. Petersburg Times. “I took a dog who was a walking skeleton. That’s what was wrong with him before the hurricane.”
The Coutures denied these allegations, claiming that the heartworm condition was long-standing, and sought to reclaim their pet. In response, Ms Bondi insisted that she was providing a better environment for Tank. “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,” she said.
The dispute escalated into a legal battle, which lasted for 16 months and became widely covered by major news outlets.
The case ultimately settled before trial, with the details of the agreement remaining private. Ms Bondi eventually returned Tank to the Coutures, along with supplies of food and medication, but their relationship quickly soured.
Doreen Couture was frustrated with the situation, particularly Ms Bondi’s promises. “It was a burden, it really was,” she told The St. Petersburg Times in 2010. “Financially, emotionally, it was a really rough time.” She further criticised Ms Bondi, saying, “Why should I? She stole my dog… She has no compassion at all.”
Despite the settlement, Ms Bondi’s reputation regarding the incident remained largely unaffected. In her successful 2010 campaign for Florida attorney general, she declared that the matter had been resolved and claimed she was widely supported by animal rights activists.