As Hurricane Milton continues its path toward the Sunshine State, the Florida Highway Patrol has taken to social media to urge residents not to leave pets behind after they found a dog tied to a pole along a state road.
The Florida Highway Patrol Wednesday posted a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing troopers rescuing a dog tied to a pole off the side of I-75 in Tampa. The dog’s owners are assumed to have evacuated without the animal, leaving the white bull terrier to endure the high hurricane winds and dangerous storm conditions anticipated in the area.
“Do NOT do this to your pets please,” wrote FHP. Since its posting around 11:30 a.m., the video has garnered nearly 37,000 likes and more than 5,000 reposts.
Gov. Ron DeSantis replied to the post, first thanking FHP for their rescue and then re-emphasizing their message.
“It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm,” he wrote. “FL will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable.”
PETA issued a news release Monday in anticipation of Hurricane Milton, reminding Floridians to “never leave dogs tethered or penned outside and always take their animal companions with them if they have to evacuate their homes.”
There are several pet-friendly hurricane shelters in Orange County for those who do not wish to or cannot evacuate. Five of the 11 open general population shelters, including Apopka High School, Carver Middle School, Colonial High School, Lake Nona High School and Union Park Middle School, are pet-friendly. As of 4 p.m., all pet-friendly shelters are open and have available space. No IDs are required for entry.
It is recommended that those entering shelters bring a three-day supply of food and water, clothing, bedding, toiletries, first-aid equipment and an abundance of supplies for any pets brought along as well. More information is available on the Orange County government website.
Related
Orange County opens shelters for Hurricane Milton evacuation
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This article appears in Oct 9-15, 2024.