A dog was found chained to a pole and abandoned as floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey surged dangerously around it.
A photographer captured the heartbreaking moment the animal sat helplessly, tied to a telephone pole and waiting for death yesterday in Victoria County, Texas, according to Long Room. The photographer later freed the dog and led it to safety, rescuing the animal from almost certain drowning.
Nearby in Victoria, another dog was discovered chained to a tree outside a mobile home, also seemingly abandoned. Texas authorities have repeatedly reminded residents not to tie up or chain pets and livestock during extreme weather events.
According to Stephen Carlisle, police chief of Roman Forest, Texas — located about 240 km north of Victoria — state law prohibits tethering dogs outdoors in hazardous conditions such as hurricanes or tropical storms.
Victoria County lay directly in the path of Hurricane Harvey and was quickly submerged under 25 centimeters of rainwater within just 24 hours. The hurricane is expected to sweep across Texas in the coming week, threatening hundreds of kilometers of coastline with fierce winds and dangerous storm surges.