The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) successfully rescued a dog that had been abandoned by its owners just hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday, October 9. The dog was found tied to a pole on the side of I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd. in Tampa.

FHP posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) at 11:23 a.m. ET, showing an officer carefully approaching the distressed dog, which was standing in a puddle up to its stomach. Despite the dog growling and barking in fear, the officer reassured it, saying, “It’s okay, buddy.”

Fifteen minutes later, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) confirmed that the dog had been safely rescued. The dog, now calmer, was placed in the backseat of a car and taken to a vet, where it was examined and found to be healthy.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised the FHP’s actions, condemning the cruelty of leaving a dog tied up in the path of an oncoming storm. He emphasized that Florida would hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Tampa Bay issued guidelines reminding pet owners to include their animals in evacuation plans, recommending the preparation of emergency kits with essentials like food, water, medications, and identification.

Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, made landfall at Siesta Key around 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, bringing winds of up to 120 mph. It was the fifth hurricane to hit the U.S. this year.