State trooper rescues dog tied to pole on I-75 as tornado rages nearby

A Florida state trooper rescued a dog tied to a pole on I-75 as a tornado crossed the area.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper rescued a dog tied to a pole along Interstate 75 near Bruce B. Downs Blvd as Hurricane Milton approached on Wednesday. 

The dog had been left in a dangerous situation as the storm's outer bands, including tornadoes, swept through the area. If not rescued, the dog would have been exposed to wind speeds of over 150 mph and storm surges up to 15 feet.

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… pic.twitter.com/8cZJOfkJL2

— FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) October 9, 2024

Earlier that day, cameras along I-75 in Alligator Alley captured the destructive impact of Hurricane Milton’s extreme weather, with a tornado crossing the highway. This was the second tornado in less than 20 minutes as the storms moved north. The National Weather Service had already issued nearly four dozen Tornado Warnings by Wednesday afternoon, with a Tornado Watch in effect for parts of Central and South Florida.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents in evacuation zones to leave while roads remained accessible, warning that conditions would worsen as the storm approached. Hurricane Milton, now a Category 4 storm, is about 160 miles southwest of Tampa, with sustained winds of 145 mph. The National Hurricane Center advised residents to stay indoors and away from windows as the storm nears landfall.