By Mark Price
Source Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.)
A heartbreaking rescue of a dog was handled by the Florida Highway Patrol just hours before Hurricane Milton’s landfall, and the predicament was intentional, officials say.
The dog was “left tied to a pole” along northbound Interstate 75 north of Tampa and was belly-deep in rising water when a trooper found it.
“Do not do this to your pets please,” the agency wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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The discarded pet was found Wednesday, Oct. 9, when an anonymous caller reported seeing it near the exit for Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, officials said.
Body camera video shows the dog was about 50 feet off the interstate, and it growled and barked in fear as the trooper neared it.
“I don’t blame you,” the trooper is heard telling the dog. “It’s okay, buddy. It’s okay.”
The trooper overcame the dog’s fear and was able to coax it into the back of his patrol car, a photo showed.
He also volunteered to care for the dog, which was checked for injuries by a veterinarian and reported to be in good health, officials said.
Update: The dog rescued by @FHPTampa is safe and receiving care. Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health. pic.twitter.com/cut1jv7cBe
— FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) October 9, 2024
Video of the rescue had been viewed more than 3.4 million times as of midday Wednesday, and prompted calls for the trooper to be commended. His name has not been released.
“Perhaps we find the owner and the troopers can tie them to the pole and leave them?” one commenter posted on X.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also acknowledged the rescue in a social media post and thanked the Florida Highway Patrol. “It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm,“ DeSantis wrote.
Hurricane Milton had sustained winds of 130 mph as of 2 p.m. ET Wednesday and was predicted to bring wind gusts up to 100 mph, 6 to 12 inches of rain and storm surge of 10 to 15 feet to parts of the Tampa area, according to the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service.
Thank you, @FHPTampa.
It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm. FL will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable. https://t.co/19axr8CLf0
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 9, 2024
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