As Hurricane Milton was nearing landfall, Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., took aim at bad dog owners. DeSantis vowed to punish those pet owners who left their canines tied up as the storm made its way to the coastline.
DeSantis responded to a video posted on social media on Wednesday, Oct. 9, by the Florida State Patrol showing troopers rescuing a dog tied up next to the highway in the Tampa Bay area.
Point phone camera here
The governor thanked the troopers, and wrote on the social media platform X, “It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle an oncoming storm. FL. will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable.”
In Florida, abandoning a pet is a misdemeanor but repeat animal cruelty offenders can receive jail time.
Nearly 6 million people are reportedly under mandatory evacuation orders in Florida. President Joe Biden urged residents to heed the warnings from local officials and said it could be the worst storm to hit the Sunshine State in more than 100 years.
[KARAH RUCKER]
AS HURRICANE MILTON WAS NEARING LANDFALL, FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS TOOK AIM AT BAD DOG OWNERS.
VOWING TO PUNISH FLORIDIANS WHO LEFT THEIR POOCHES TIED UP AS THE STORM MADE ITS WAY TO THE COASTLINE.
DESANTIS RESPONDED TO A VIDEO POSTED WEDNESDAY BY THE FLORIDA STATE PATROL SHOWING TROOPERS RESCUING A DOG TIED UP NEXT TO A HIGHWAY.
TAKE A LOOK.
[STATE TROOPER]
IT’S OKAY, BUDDY. IT’S OKAY. IT’S OKAY. IT’S OKAY. IT’S OKAY. IT’S OKAY. IT’S OKAY. [DOG GROWLS] I DON’T BLAME YOU.
[KARAH RUCKER]
THE GOVERNOR THANKING THE TAMPA-BASED PATROL UNIT, AND WRITING:
“IT IS CRUEL FOR ANYONE TO LEAVE A DOG TIED TO A POST IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ONCOMING STORM. FLORIDA WILL HOLD ANYONE WHO MISTREATS PETS ACCOUNTABLE.”
IN FLORIDA, ABANDONING A PET IS A MISDEMEANOR BUT REPEAT ANIMAL CRUELTY OFFENDERS CAN RECEIVE JAIL TIME.
NEARLY SIX MILLION PEOPLE ARE UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS IN FLORIDA.
PRESIDENT BIDEN URGED RESIDENTS TO HEED THE WARNINGS OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND SAID IT COULD BE THE WORST STORM TO HIT THE SUNSHINE STATE IN MORE THAN 100 YEARS.
FOR MORE UPDATES ON HURRICANE MILTON AND OTHER STORIES– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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