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Deputy Rescues Puppy Abandoned During Hurricane Dorian and Adopts Her Into His Family

Written by: Scott H
Scott Haiduc is the Director of Publishing for iHeartDogs, iHeartCats and The Hero Company. When not working, Scott spends his time on the farm, taking care of his animals and crops.Read more
| Published on September 6, 2019

Hurricane Dorian recently pounded the Bahamas for over 24-hours before continuing its path of destruction. The Category 5 storm hammered the Bahamas before it slowly crept along the Florida coast. It finally sailed past Georgia and continued north into the Carolinas. As a result, it left a trail of destruction spans thousands of miles.

Officers with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in Florida were called during the storm. They responded to a suspicious vehicle on the side of the road off of Apopka Boulevard. Deputy Josh Tolliver arrived on the scene and searched the abandoned car. The vehicle had gone off the road and into a ditch where it had already started to fill with water. Meanwhile, Hurricane Dorian showed no signs of letting up.

A Little Puppy Left Alone to Brave the Storm

Deputy Tolliver was surprised to find a little puppy inside the flooded car. The tiny baby had big, floppy ears and her fur was adorned with black dots. She was alone, wet, and scared. Luckily Officer Tolliver knew just what to do. He scooped her into his arms, wrapped her in a warm blanket and dubbed her “Dorian.”

Storm Winds Bring Winds of Change for Little Dorian

Initially, reports said Dorian would be taken to Orange County Animal Services the following day. However, the community had other ideas. People lined up in the comments section on the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Twitter page. They took turns stating their desire to welcome Dorian into their homes.

One citizen said she called dibs on Dorian. The Sheriff’s Department jokingly responded that there were people at the Sheriff’s Department that would arm wrestle her for custody!

@OrangeCoSheriff/Twitter

Change of Plans for Little Dorian

How could Deputy Tolliver part with such a precious little face, you ask? Well, he couldn’t! It turns out Dorian wasn’t taken to Orange County Animal Services after all. I bet you can guess exactly where she went!

Dorian appears to be settling in perfectly to her new home with Deputy Tolliver. The Sheriff’s Office reports Dorian is “living her best life.”

Abandoning Pets Before Hurricanes is an Alarming Trend

Pets are often abandoned during major storms like Dorian. They’re tied to a tree or left in flooded houses to fend for themselves. The lucky ones who survive are taken to overcrowded shelters and wait for a family to love them again.

Hundreds of dogs were evacuated from the affected areas before and after the storm made landfall. If you’re interested in helping pets affected by Hurricane Dorian, check here.

h/t: OrangeCoSheriff/Facebook

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