Internet Lashes out at Residents Who Left Their Pets Behind During Hurricane Irma

As Hurricane Irma continues to wreak havoc on the cities of Florida, one thing that is on many people’s minds are the animals.

After seeing how many people abandoned their pets during Hurricane Harvey, many took to social media to warn others to not do the same, while also sending stern messages to those that do.

Before Irma hit the southern part of Florida, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control recovered almost 40 dogs, many of which were tied up, in pens or enclosed yards, unable to escape.

The agency’s director Dianne Sauve said this type of abandonment is one of the worst things someone can do. “There is absolutely no excuse for doing that,” she told USA Today.

She said the agency will pursue felony animal cruelty charges if they are able to gather enough evidence and find the pet’s owners.

Social media users backed up her statements before and during the storm. Read below to see some of their reactions.

Protect the Animals

Many people are taking to Twitter to send their thoughts and prayers to those impacted by Hurricane Irma as the storm works its way up the gulf coast. 

But, they are also begging pet owners to keep their animals safe. They are not able to save themselves, so it is up to their owners and strangers to protect them from the dangerous storms.

One user shared a series of photos of abandoned animals that were found in an outdoor kennel. 

Do Not Tie up Your Animal

Many are sending stern messages to Florida residents begging them to avoid tying up their animals and leaving them. 

“PLEASE don’t tie up your pets- take them with you,” one user wrote. “They are family.”

This was something that did occur during Hurricane Harvey, but will hopefully be less of an issue as Irma continues to hit.

One Twitter user even went as far as saying she “will fight” anyone who leaves their pet behind.

Florida Animal Shelters’ Rescue Efforts

The Broward Country Humane Society is taking over 175 rescued pets from Irma and flying them to San Francisco.

A video from the shelter shows the animals getting placed in crates and transported onto the plane. Additionally, Broward County Animal Care and Adoption will be relocating 24 dogs and 109 cats across the country.

On Friday, the animals were flown to six shelters in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to free up space for more animals as the storm passes through.