Florida Highway Patrol troopers rescued an abandoned dog that had been left tied to a fence ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall.

“Do NOT do this to your pets please,” the agency wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Wednesday (October 9). 

The rescue took place near Interstate 75 in Tampa.

In the clip, an officer can be seen approaching the dog stranded in stomach-high water and trying to calm it down.

When the dog, which appears to be an English bull terrier, begins growling and barking in fear, the trooper responds, “I don’t blame you.”

A dog was rescued after being left tied to a fence ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall in Florida

Image credits: @FLHSMV

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis thanked the Highway Patrol on his X page, writing, “It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm.”

De Santis added that the state “will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable.”

The animal was found after an anonymous caller reported seeing it near the exit for Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

In a follow-up post, the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) said that the dog is “safe and receiving care.”

The abandoned pet was found in stomach-high floodwaters on Wednesday

Image credits: @FLHSMV

Florida Highway Patrol troopers shared a video of the rescue on social media, urging pet owners in high-risk areas not to leave their dogs tied up

FHP Troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd this morning. Do NOT do this to your pets please… pic.twitter.com/8cZJOfkJL2

— FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) October 9, 2024

The abandoned pet was taken to a veterinarian, where it “received a clean bill of health” after being examined for injuries.

The Highway Patrol officer who rescued the dog volunteered to take care of it, the Miami Herald reported.

If you live in a high-risk area, it’s recommended to prepare a pet care kit in advance. This should include any necessary medications, veterinary and vaccine records sealed in a waterproof bag, food, and photos of your pet in case you become separated.

Those who can’t evacuate with their pets should contact their local animal service or emergency department to check whether they are setting up a temporary shelter.

Pets should never be locked in, tied up, or left in their crate ahead of a hurricane, as this could lead to drowning.

The dog was taken to the veterinarian and is now “safe and receiving care”

Image credits: @FLHSMV

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis thanked the Florida Highway Patrol troopers and said it’s “cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm”

Image credits: CoffindafferFBI

I sure hope they get the person who was so cruel to tie a dog on a fence and leave him to fend for himself in a hurricane.

The Florida Governor is pretty irritated as well.

Please use your platforms to get the word out. Someone knows who did this. #Milton pic.twitter.com/0wIaFVQ3k0

— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) October 10, 2024

Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s west coast Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane, leaving over 3 million people in the state without power.

At least 36 tornadoes ripped across Florida on Wednesday as the hurricane came ashore. 

Four people were killed by tornadoes in St. Lucie County on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, county officials said.

Tampa recorded 1 foot (30 cm) of rain, while Lakeland, about 35 miles (48 kilometers) inland from Tampa, saw 10 inches (25 cm) of rain.

Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane, leaving over 3 million people without power

Image credits: https://x.com/alireidtv/status/1844075084044271759

Image credits: WFLA News Channel 8

At least 125 homes have been destroyed across the state, according to Kevin Guthrie, the head of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

By early Thursday (October 10), wind speeds were reduced to a still dangerous 90 mph (150 kph), dropping Milton to a Category 1 hurricane, Reuters reported. Hurricane Milton is now heading out into the Atlantic Ocean.

“There is still danger of life-threatening storm surge along the coast from east-central Florida northward to southern Georgia, where a Storm Surge Warning remains in effect,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) wrote  in their last update.

“Damaging hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, will continue for a few more hours in east-central and northeastern Florida. Residents are urged to remain in an interior room and away from windows.”

People suggested naming the rescued dog “Trooper” or “Milton”

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