On Wednesday morning, officers from the Florida Highway Patrol came to the rescue of a dog found tied to a pole along the side of Interstate 75 in Tampa. This incident took place even as the powerful Hurricane Milton threatened the western coast of the state. The agency made an emotional plea on social media, posting a video of the canine's rescue with the message, "Don't do this to your pets, please..." The dog, which appears to be a Bull Terrier mix, was found tied to a wire fence, standing in rainwater that reached its torso.
When the officers approached, the frightened dog perked up its ears and began barking, clearly distressed, while one of the officers attempted to comfort it by saying, "It's okay, it's okay." It's assumed that the dog was abandoned as its owners evacuated Tampa, seeking refuge from the worsening weather conditions predicted with Milton's approach to Florida's Gulf Coast. This highly dangerous storm poses significant risks to both humans and animals.
Abandonment Highlights Lack of Compassion
The act of leaving the dog behind exposes a complete absence of humanity and compassion from its owners. In times of crisis, pets rely on their caregivers for protection and care, a duty sadly neglected in this instance amid Florida's escalating threat.
Impending Impact of Hurricane Milton
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts that Milton will make landfall as a "major and dangerous hurricane" on Florida's Gulf Coast around 2 a.m. Thursday. The hurricane has intensified back to a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, moving northeast at a speed of 17 mph with winds reaching 145 mph. Given the warnings issued by state and local authorities, Florida is witnessing large-scale evacuations, as Milton is regarded as one of the most severe hurricanes to hit the state in a century.
Tampa's Mayor, Jane Castor, issued a stark warning to the city's residents about the imminent cyclone. "Helene was a wake-up call. This is literally catastrophic. I can say without exaggeration that if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you will die," she declared, emphasizing the severity of the impending danger.
Evacuations and Road Congestion
As the evacuations proceeded, significant traffic congestion was observed on some highways on Tuesday and continued into Wednesday. Many residents delayed their decision to move to safer locations until the last minute, now finding themselves in a desperate race against the approaching storm.
In its Wednesday afternoon advisory, the NHC warned that winds would start to intensify along Florida's west coast later in the day. It urged residents to finalize preparations and evacuate as time was rapidly running out. "Milton is growing in size as it nears Florida's west coast. Life-threatening storm surges, damaging winds, and heavy rain are expected in parts of central and southwest Florida," stated the 2:00 p.m. update.