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Two journalists sent to Florida to cover Hurricane Milton were huddling in their car Wednesday amid a tornado warning in the Fort Meyers area when a concerned woman banged on their window. She told the couple about a screaming sound coming from underneath their vehicle.
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It was raining heavily and the wind was tearing branches off the trees around them. But that didn't stop David Barcenas, a photographer at Hearst Television's DC office, from jumping out of his car to investigate. His colleague, reporter Christopher Salas, was not far behind.
Under the back tire of their car – parked in front of Florida Gulf Coast University, which was serving as an evacuation center – Barcenas spotted a cat. He lay down on the ground, reached for the animal, pulled it out from under the vehicle and put it inside his jacket.
Salas captured the rescue on camera — to the delight of social media users, who quickly invested in something they called the #HurricaneCat. Many people thanked the couple for helping the cat – whom journalists named “Millie” – when she was in need.
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“People support us and expect up-to-date information,” Barcenas said Washington Post. on Thursday. “If I could, I would put her in our live shots.”
Before Milton made landfall, residents in areas expected to be hit hard by the hurricane were advised to evacuate their homes. For many, this meant figuring out what to do with their pets.
Animal welfare groups urged pet owners to plan ahead and take their pets, especially smaller ones, with them or contact local animal services or rescue authorities about options including temporary boarding. They also urged animals not to be caged or tied up, which prevents them from escaping oncoming water or poor conditions. After the Florida Highway Patrol released video of a dog tied up along a highway in Tampa, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said it was “cruel” and Florida would “hold accountable anyone who abuses pets.”
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Barcenas said once Millie was safely in the vehicle, he turned on the heater to help dry the soaked cat. Millie sat “calm” and “quiet” as she got to know her rescuers. “I have two cats at home,” Barcenas said. – I had no intention of chasing her away. Barcenas stopped at a gas station to buy cans of tuna “which she nibbled on.”
“All businesses that remained were closed and all residents were evacuated for a long time,” he said. “We were lucky to find a hotel very inland in Fort Myers.”
It so happened that right next to the hotel there was an animal hospital with lights on. Barcenas took Millie there to see if she had a microchip. “I was hesitant to just take her home with me because she seemed quite healthy and well-fed for a homeless person,” he said.
Millie does not have a microchip, but vets described her as “well behaved”. Once the storm subsides, she will undergo a medical examination. Then, Barcenas said, all that remains is to wait to see if she is elected.
“I hope she has a loving family that misses her and that she wasn't a case of abandonment,” Barcenas said. “If she is not picked up, I have filled out an application with the county to have them contact me so I can take her home with me to Washington.”
Amid the devastation in Florida, Barcenas said he was “happy to have found a new friend on the way.”
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