Natural disasters are something we have no control over, which is exactly what makes them terrifying. Yet no matter how scary we find them, the animals, who have no idea what is happening, are likely even more frightened and should not be forgotten about.
But while, sadly, in situations like these, not every creature gets offered shelter, some people won’t think twice before rescuing them. For example, in this viral video, a group of folks do everything they can to get a pig to safety despite it seemingly not minding basking in the water while tied to a petrol station. Scroll down to learn all about it!
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Whether you’re a human or an animal, natural disasters are scary for everyone alike
Image credits: WBNS 10TV (YouTube)
Rescuers found a pig named Millie tied to a petrol station, basking in the flooded water
Hurricane Milton has driven many of Florida’s residents out of their homes. But while some got to wait through the worst of it in the safety of shelters, others, like this pig in our story, were left to fend for themselves right there in the middle of the action.
The pig who fittingly got the name Millie was found last Friday, tied to a petrol station somewhere in Lithia, Florida. However, even though the hurricane experience must’ve been daunting for her, she has since returned to her calm self and even appeared to be enjoying her current situation.
Image credits: WBNS 10TV (YouTube)
Not minding her situation, she resisted being rescued and had to be pulled out of the water
When the people approached to help her out of the water, the animal didn’t consider moving one bit and actually put up quite some resistance when they tried to push her. Unable to persuade her to leave and move on her own, the rescuers were forced to resort to more straightforward techniques.
The wisest option here was to lure the animal away with some food, but since the team likely had none, they ended up tying a few ropes around Millie and seemingly entering into a game of tug-of-war. The pig was far from the easiest opponent, but with the combined strength of 4 people, they eventually managed to emerge victorious, and the animal was happily brought to safety.
Image credits: WBNS 10TV (YouTube)
Having already helped quite a few creatures, including Millie, the team shared that there have been more reports of other animals in need that they planned to tend to next
Cindy Evers, who was a local resident and one of the rescue team’s members, shared that Millie wasn’t the only one needing help around there. “So far, we’ve done a donkey that was tied to the pump and several goats, and then we’ll head back, and apparently, there’s some more animals in the homes that we’ll be getting.”
The commenters were happy that the animal was taken care of and thanked her rescuers. Still, many were also upset about how people keep abandoning their friends just like that, and while some theorized why some might do it, these owners received no support.
Image credits: WBNS 10TV (YouTube)
Evacuation, combined with all the preparation that comes before, is a very stressful process on its own. It’s even more layered when it comes to running from disasters with your non-human companions.
Unfortunately, many evacuation centers, including Red Cross evacuation centers, don’t allow pets, let alone farm animals, to be brought in, making everything even more complicated. However, that doesn’t mean animal owners are left without options.
Image credits: WBNS 10TV (YouTube)
Facing natural disasters together with animals may be more complicated than doing it without them, but everything is entirely possible with the proper planning and preparation
As per Ready.gov, it all starts with planning ahead. It’s quite rare that a natural disaster just falls down on us all of a sudden, and even if it does, everyone living in areas susceptible to these events should do their research in case the need to evacuate ever arises, especially when they own livestock.
While gathering this information might have been more difficult in the past, in our current age of technology, where vast amounts of information are available only a few clicks away, there is no excuse for not knowing. Thus, every person in such a situation should know what they should expect, how to prepare for it, and how to get help if needed.
Image credits: WBNS 10TV (YouTube)
Image credits: WBNS 10TV (YouTube)
In addition to information, there are plenty of other things that require planning ahead. According to an article by Fema.gov, animal owners should also ensure that all of their creatures are microchipped and have an emergency kit ready, which includes food, water, supplements, veterinary records, proof of ownership, and required supplies.
Lastly, depending on the kind of disaster you’re facing, you may or may not have several options for dealing with your situation. If you have somewhere to take your animals, the best thing to do may be to evacuate them as early as possible while having multiple routes planned out for it.
If evacuating your livestock is not an option, you should plan for leaving them behind by building them a proper shelter where they'll be safe from strong wind, heavy rain, heat, cold, and flooding. And if it really does come to the worst-case scenario where you have no better options available, you might have to set them to run free.
Image credits: WBNS 10TV (YouTube)
But ultimately, whatever you do, tying up your animals and leaving them helpless is never a good idea. While some of them, like Millie, do get lucky and end up being rescued, gambling with the chance of whether someone will or won’t make it in time is likely the worst option you could choose.
What did you think about this story? Have you ever encountered anything similar? Share it all in the comments below!
The commenters were happy that Millie was rescued, but nobody was pleased with all the people who left their animals tied up in the flood
