Ron DeSantis vows to punish owner who left dog tied up amid Hurricane Milton after watching rescue video

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: As Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida's west coast, Governor Ron DeSantis warned pet owners against abandoning their animals, expressing his clear commitment to hold accountable those who commit animal cruelty.

DeSantis expressed his outrage and emphasized the state’s zero tolerance for animal cruelty after a viral rescue video showed a dog tied to a post being rescued amid the hurricane.

Ron DeSantis condemns owners leaving pets tethered during storms

He stated, “It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm. FL will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable,” in a post on the platform X, in response to a video from the Florida Highway Patrol’s Troop C that showed them rescuing a dog tied to a pole on I-75.

The governor expressed gratitude by saying, “Thank you, @FHPTampa.”

Ron DeSantis slams owners who abandoned their dog amid Hurricane Milton

When asked during a press conference on Wednesday night about the viral footage, Ron DeSantis said, "What kind of person would do this? That person should have a book thrown at them."

He added, “I mean, people do a lot of dumb things, but you just see that, and it’s outrageous.”

The dog was left helpless, tied up during dangerous weather conditions. Fortunately, rescuers were able to save the animal, who, after a veterinary checkup, was found to be in good health.

“The vet, the dog has a clean bill of health, and who knows, maybe we’ll do some adoption, put the dog up for adoption, and we can have some people in Florida come and compete for it and take it,” DeSantis added.

The governor also emphasized the importance of enforcing Florida’s strict animal cruelty laws. “I hope they find the person who did it, and that person should have the book thrown at them,” DeSantis declared, reflecting his belief in holding the responsible party accountable.

In his remarks, DeSantis also highlighted the significant role that dogs play during times of crisis, especially in storm response. “You know, these dogs, we’ve got dogs that are going to be helping in the storm, these police working dogs. They’re great canines. So we don’t have tolerance for that in Florida.”

Ron DeSantis slams Joe Biden's speech on Hurricane Milton

During the same event, Ron DeSantis criticized President Joe Biden, stating, "Tonight, President Joe Biden laid out his radical wish list for America. His speech was so hyped up, it was bizarre. I will not be shouting the whole hour. Frankly, so at odds with everyday Joe, it's even frightening to me."

"He spent most of the night shouting, speeding through his speech, and clearly overcompensating from the normal everyday Joe that can barely string two sentences together."

He continued, "At times, it became uncomfortable watching him screaming and yelling and speeding through that speech. The AP affectionately called it feisty. I guess that's one way to describe it. Tonight, America saw, let's say, a very different Joe Biden. I might call him jacked-up Joe, and that's being charitable. He sounded like a hyper-caffeinated, angry old man."

Hurricane Milton poses severe threat as millions face evacuation

Hurricane Milton comes on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which struck the state less than two weeks ago.

The US Census Bureau has estimated that around 5.9 million Floridians are currently under mandatory evacuation orders, particularly impacting the more than 3.3 million residents in the Tampa area.

President Biden has also weighed in on the situation, warning that Milton could be one of the worst storms to hit Florida in over a century. He urged residents in the storm's path to follow local officials' directions, stating, “This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in over a century. And God willing it won’t be, but that’s what it’s looking like right now.”

Milton made landfall Wednesday night as a "dangerous Category 3" storm on Florida's central west coast, the National Hurricane Center said.