Another week, another hurricane! This one, Hurricane Milton, raked across the Florida panhandle, causing major damage and leaving millions of homes without power. And again, what about the animals?
Several shelters managed to relocate their furry residents before the storm hit. People in South Florida flocked to a local shelter that housed 160 dogs. A local celebrity asked folks to take these dogs into their homes during the storm, to get them out of the outdoor runs where they would be hit with the winds and rain and noise of a major hurricane. And yes, they cleared out the shelter, at least for a few days. There is hope that some of the rescuers might decide to adopt their temporary pets, but it’s encouraging that so many people would step up and offer true shelter to those shelter dogs.
Even the Tampa Zoo made preparations for its residents, moving larger animals into night shelters that were build to withstand storms, and relocating smaller animals and birds into buildings. The zoo will be closed to visitors for now, but a designated group of employees will stay on site to care for the animals.
On the flip side is the story of a dog seen along the interstate as the hurricane approached. A state trooper found the dog standing in water up to its chest, tied to a fence. As the trooper got out of his vehicle and approached, the frightened animal growled at him. He managed to rescue the dog and get it to a veterinarian, who checked the dog and said he was not injured. The Florida Highway Patrol posted what they called a “heartbreaking” video of the rescue on social media with the comment, “Do NOT do this to your pets please.”
If you ever have to evacuate, please do not leave your pets behind to fend for themselves, in hopes someone else will rescue them. Make plans now for how you might keep your furry friends safe if disaster strikes where you live, when you’re speaking of pets.
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