Tampa cops rescue dog cruelly left tied to fence ahead of Milton’s landfall: ‘Do NOT do this to your pets’

Tampa cops came across a horrific scene Wednesday as Hurricane Milton surged toward land: A helpless dog whose heartless owner left him to die tied to a fence in stomach-deep water.

Florida Highway Patrol officers discovered the abandoned pooch barking desperately for help Wednesday morning, as the outer edge of the enormous storm was already dumping heavy rain in the area.

The compassionate troopers parked their patrol vehicles and trudged across a soggy field next to Interstate 75, rescuing the terrified animal in the nick of time.

Milton makes landfall along Florida’s west coast as a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds

“Do NOT do this to your pets please…” the agency urged, sharing the heartbreaking and outrageous video on X .

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The terrified pooch “is safe and receiving care,” the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor wrote on X a few hours after the innocent pup’s brush with death captivated and enraged the internet.

“Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health,” they wrote alongside a photo of the rescued dog in the back of a patrol car with a warm fleece blanket.

After his safety was ensured, Gov. Ron DeSantis posted a message of thanks to the highway patrol , and warned other pet owners against committing similar acts of thoughtless cruelty.

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“Thank you, [Tampa Florida Highway Patrol]. 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 pledged.

The post by FLHSMV was flooded with offers to give the wayward mutt a forever home.

“If he needs a home let me know. I’m in the Lake Mary area. I’ll gladly drive over to pick him up after the storm [passes],” one animal lover wrote.

“If he needs a home, please dm me after the storm. I’ll come get him,” wrote another.

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