Florida trooper rescues dog tied to pole in puddle as Milton heads toward state, DeSantis calls owner 'cruel'

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Florida troopers rescued a dog tied to a pole and left standing in a large puddle on a rainy Wednesday morning as Hurricane Milton barreled toward the state. 

Bodycam footage posted by the agency's Tampa account on X shows a trooper walking along a field off Interstate 75 near Bruce B Downs Boulevard toward the dog.

"It's OK, buddy. It's OK," the trooper is heard saying as he approached the dog, who was standing in what appeared to be a large puddle of water that covered his legs. 

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The dog began to growl as the trooper moved closer. 

"I don't blame you. I don't blame you," the trooper said. "It's OK, buddy."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded online after seeing the video.

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"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," he wrote on X.

The dog was taken to a veterinarian and was in good health, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles told Fox News Digital. 

"He is being cared for and is safe," the spokesperson said.

The agency was not aware of other animals left to fend for themselves in the storm. The FHP is conducting patrols and looking for any vulnerable people and animals that may have been left, the agency said. 

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