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Dog Tied To Fence Pole During Milton, Troopers Raced Over As Waters Rose

By: Dee Michaels
Dee Michaels is a passionate and accomplished writer, renowned for his heartwarming and engaging stories on IHeartDogs.com.Read more
| January 14, 2025

When catastrophic events loom on the horizon, it’s a time for unity and compassion. Most of us instinctively gather our loved ones, hunker down indoors, and weather the storm in the safety of our homes. Tragically, not everyone extends that same care to their pets. As Hurricane Milton barreled toward the coast, bringing with it the promise of destruction, one heartless owner made an unthinkable decision—abandoning their loyal dog to face the storm alone.

FHP Tampa/X

As the troopers carefully approached, the frightened dog growled at them, unsure of their intentions. One trooper spoke gently to him, trying to ease his fear: “I don’t blame you,” the trooper said. “It’s okay, buddy.”

The department took to social media platform X to condemn the actions of whoever abandoned the dog, urging people not to treat their pets this way. Under any circumstance, leaving a dog tied up is cruel, but doing so with a hurricane looming made the situation even more horrifying. Hurricane Milton was expected to bring catastrophic rain to the region, and while most residents were busy evacuating with their pets, this dog had been left behind to face the storm alone.

Outrage quickly spread online after the story was shared. Many people expressed their gratitude to the troopers for stepping in and rescuing the dog. Calls for justice followed, with one local resident saying, “I hope that dog is chipped, and they find the owner and charge them with animal abuse. We are literally getting hit by a hurricane in hours.”

Even Florida Governor Ron DeSantis weighed in on the incident, thanking the troopers for their swift action and pledging to hold anyone accountable for mistreating pets. “It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm,” DeSantis said. “[Florida] will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable.”

Thankfully, there’s a silver lining to the story. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shared an update, confirming that the dog was safe and receiving care. He had been checked for injuries and was found to be in good health. While the identity of the person who abandoned him remains unclear, it’s possible the dog was either left by a former owner or was a stray.

She Could Barely Walk or Breathe When Rescuers Found Her
She Could Barely Walk or Breathe When Rescuers Found Her

Rescuers swooped in, but when they got the pup into their care, she had lost the use of her back legs, was struggling to breathe, and weighed just around 20 pounds.

It’s shocking to think anyone could leave a dog to face such a fate, but thanks to the efforts of compassionate troopers, this pup is now out of harm’s way.

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