Hurricane Milton: Terrified dog left tied to pole rescued by quick-thinking cops

Millions of people living in Florida have already fled their homes as the "storm of the century", Category 5 bears down on the state. But despite official warnings that anyone who stays in the path of the 175mph storm "will die", many have reported hunkering down to out the storm.

Many who have fled have left behind all of their belongings and their homes, knowing that they might never return to them. Yet, in social media footage shared by trying to keep people safe ahead of the deadly devastating storm, it appears that one Floridian made one dark and desperate choice, as the record storm closes in on the state's west coast - tying their beloved dog to a fence post and abandoning it.

Quick-thinking who spotted the stranded and miserable-looking pooch tied next to a highway got out of their car to rescue it, despite the winds growing around them. The dog, which appears to be a bull terrier, can be seen quivering in a large puddle while the kind cops approach it.

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Trying not to further terrify the animal, the police officers slowly walk up to the dog, which had been cruelly tied to a fence post about 10 metre from the main road.

One officer says "it's ok buddy, it's ok, it's ok," in a reassuring voice as he walks to the bull terrier, before adding "I don't blame you" when the sorry looking dog barked at him.

Sharing the rescue on X, the state troopers said: "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."

People reacted to the video with horror, unable to imagine doing such a thing to their own beloved pooches, with one shocked viewer saying: "Perhaps we find the owner and the troopers can tie them to the pole and leave them? Just a suggestion."

Hurricane Milton, which has built into a 175mph Category 5 storm due to warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, will make landfall in the heavily populated Tampa Bay area before heading west over Florida's central belt. Here it is expected to weaken to Category 3, with winds of 130mph.