Ron DeSantis has thanked state patrollers for rescuing an abandoned dog left in chest-deep water in the path of Hurricane Milton.
The Florida governor took to social media to praise state troopers for stepping in to rescue the distressed pup as the water rose.
As well as supporting the millions of Floridians fleeing their homes or stuck without power, the state troopers were committed to looking after all those impacted by the storm –including animals.
Body camera footage showed a trooper walking through puddle-filled grass to a fence where a white dog had been abandoned and tied to the pole next to the highway.
The troopers eventually rescued the dog, safely putting him in the back of a patrol car and out of harm’s way.
The act of animal cruelty took place as Florida braced for yet another severe hurricane, which made landfall today.
The Highway Patrol urged people on social media to treat their animals with kindness in the face of Hurricane Milton, which could prove deadly for pets left out in the elements.
FHP Troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd this morning. Do NOT do this to your pets please… pic.twitter.com/8cZJOfkJL2
— FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) October 9, 2024
“Do NOT do this to your pets please…” they wrote alongside the video.
They later shared an 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.”
DeSantis showed his support for the troopers by resharing the body-cam footage alongside a message: “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.”
Others on social media called for the dog’s owners to be found so they could be held accountable for abandoning their dog ahead of a hurricane.
Flash-flood warnings are already in place across the state as Hurricane Milton hit the East Coast of America today.
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
The severe storm brought a "life-threatening storm surge, extreme winds and flash flooding”, leaving more than 2.8 million people stranded without power.
President Joe Biden cancelled a visit to Europe, and urged people in Florida to take shelter against what could be “one of the most and worst destructive hurricanes to hit Florida in over a century”.
Hurricane Milton is expected to bring significant damage to Florida as 130mph winds batter the state, before it weakens into a tropical storm within the Atlantic.
According to the Met Office, Milton will “either be absorbed into a frontal zone or dissipate in situ in the subtropical Atlantic”.
Live webcams from various parts of Florida are in place to monitor the storm throughout its duration.
