Watch: Dog, Tied To Fence As Hurricane Milton Approached Florida, Rescued

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) rescued an abandoned dog just hours before Hurricane Milton struck the state on October 9. The rescue took place near Bruce B Downs Blvd, close to Interstate 75, where the dog was found strapped to a pole. Earlier in the day, the FHP received reports about a dog tied to a fence, with water rising to its stomach. Upon arriving at the scene, officers were met with a distressing sight. A video shared by the FHP on their official social media account captured the tense moment as the dog backed away and growled at the approaching troopers.

Despite the challenging circumstances, the troopers reassured the dog with gentle words. “It’s okay, bud. It’s okay,” they said, working to soothe it. After approximately fifteen minutes, the troopers successfully freed the dog from its precarious position.

Following the rescue, the dog was taken to a veterinarian for a thorough medical check-up. Fortunately, they discovered that it had no injuries and therefore was given a clean health check. The FHP later informed that the dog was okay and had been taken care of. It was even described as being comfortable lying on blankets at the back of a patrol car.

The incident received significant attention on social media, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who thanked the troopers for their efficiency. He urged people to stop dumping off their pets during such devastating harsh weather conditions. “It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm,” he said. The governor assured that such vices as hurting animals would not be tolerated.

Hurricane Milton hit the Gulf Coast on October 9, 2024, as a Category-3 storm in Siesta Key, Florida.

Milton struck land at approximately 8:30 PM ET, with top sustained winds of 120 mph. The storm strengthened to a category five while in the Gulf of Mexico but lessened its strength before it touched the land. It unleashed downpours, tornadoes and storm surges in several places such as Sarasota, Fort Myers and St. Petersburg.

At least 10 people died in Florida as tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton moved across the state, reported Yahoo News.

Over 3.3 million people lost electricity in Florida after the storm with constant attempts at bringing electricity back conducted by around 50,000 linemen in the state, The Guardian reported.

At the moment, Hurricane Milton has relegated to a category 1 hurricane but it’s driving hurricane-force winds, and massive rainfall moving northeast off the Florida coast. Some forecasts for the US state predict that the storm surge could bring life-threatening incidents along the coastline that is at east-central Florida and southern Georgia.