As Tropical Storm Ophelia approaches, people should never leave dogs tethered or penned outside and should always take their animal companions with them if they have to evacuate their homes.

Every time there’s a natural disaster, many dogs and other companion animals are left outside to fend for themselves or even left behind when humans evacuate. Dogs kept tethered will swim to exhaustion and drown—and there are tethered dogs everywhere. PETA’s Animal Rescue Team has witnessed firsthand the trauma that animals endure when left to face floodwaters and flying debris. During previous storms, we have found dogs dead. We have also found them up to their necks in water, unable to sit or lie down, and in almost-submerged crates inside houses and seen animals who have been flung around by high winds. Please be on the lookout for any animals kept chained or penned outside without adequate shelter from the storm and alert local law-enforcement authorities immediately.

Credit: PETA

PETA’s “Natural Disasters: Have a Plan” video and natural disaster–preparedness PSA remind people to make plans to ensure the safety of their animal companions during a tropical storm. For more information, please visit PETA.org.