Video above: FHP Trooper saves dogs while tied to poles during Hurricane Milton
Osteen, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida woman was accused of abandoning a home full of animals during Hurricane Milton last year.
According to a report by NBC affiliate WESH, Calcy Volkers, her boyfriend and two children evacuated the area but left their pets behind.
Milton is one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, according to the NHC Report
According to Volsia County Sheriff’s Office Investigators, six dogs, five cats and a turtle were left in deplorable condition for more than a week. The house was found to be filled with dirty pee pads and shit, but that was only the beginning of a terrifying discovery by lawmakers.
A neighbor who lives in another part of the house reported a foul smell from one of the bedrooms. Deputies said three dogs were eating dead dogs.
“That’s… incredible,” Judy Sarlo, of Judy’s Pet Rescue, told Wesi. “These are not disposable. They are your kids – four legs.”
Sarullo has expressed support for a bill that will pass through the Florida Legislature, which will crack down on people who abandoned animals detained during the storm.
“In most cases, it’s just a misdemeanor. This case would make committing extreme animal cruelty during a declared national weather disaster a three-fold felony,” Sen. Don Goetz said.
Volkers was charged with 16 crimes, including illegal confinement and animal abandonment and cruelty towards animals.
