Hurricane Milton: Abandoned dog left tied to fence rescued from floods

Millions living in Florida have evacuated as Hurricane Milton, dubbed the "storm of the century", threatens the state. Despite stark warnings that staying within the 175mph storm's trajectory equates to certain death, a number of Floridians are bracing to face the tempest.

But as evacuees left behind their possessions and homes, potentially forever, one chilling incident has been highlighted on social media by Florida police: a dog found tied to a fence post. Brave officers noticed the distressed bull terrier next to a highway and, amidst intensifying gales, they stepped in to save the shivering animal

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In footage capturing the rescue, the officers move carefully towards the pooch, stranded roughly 10 metres from the road, to prevent causing it more distress. One compassionate officer can be heard saying "it's ok buddy, it's ok, it's ok," to comfort the canine, following up with "I don't blame you" as the scared dog barked.

Florida Highway Patrol shared footage of the rescue on X, stating: "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."

The video sparked outrage, with many viewers expressing their disgust at the dog's abandonment. One user suggested: "Perhaps we find the owner and the troopers can tie them to the pole and leave them? Just a suggestion.", reports the Mirror.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in the densely populated Tampa Bay area as a Category 5 storm, with winds of 175mph, before weakening to Category 3 as it moves west across central Florida, with winds of 130mph.