When catastrophic events are predicted to hit, it is time to band together. We know to stay indoors, secure with our families, and ride out the storm in the warmth and safety of our homes. Shockingly, that wasn’t the case for one callous owner who did the unthinkable to their dog just as Hurricane Milton was approaching.

On the morning of October 9, troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol made a grim discovery along I-75 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Tampa. They found a dog tied to a pole, his legs submerged in water. It was clear the dog had been left there by someone, stranded and scared, with a powerful storm on the horizon.

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.

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

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.

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.