Some Palm Beach County residents who evacuated Hurricane Irma left everything behind, including pets.
Palm Beach County’s animal control officers have been hustling to rescue abandoned animals.
Some of them were loose, some were in pens, some were tethered, according to Palm Beach County's Animal Care and Control Director Dianne Sauve. She says officers rescued around 50 dogs and two cats over the past two days.
Some animals were chained to trees and parked cars.
Officials say, with a potentially deadly hurricane on the way, it’s felony animal cruelty.
Around 50 more pets were dropped off at an animal shelter in West Palm Beach by people who were evacuating the storm.
"It speaks volumes to being prepared ahead of time, and also assuring that, if you’re going to get a pet, that that is part of your family, and not something that’s simply disposable that you would leave behind," Suave said.
