Florida Farm Owner Refuses to Evacuate Ahead of Hurricane Milton: Our Animals ‘Are Our Children’

A farm owner in Florida with more than 100 animals said she and her husband were not evacuating ahead of Hurricane Milton, noting that their animals are their “children.”

In an interview with People, Sara Weldon, who owns a farm with her husband Rick Bass in Clermont, located “in Central Florida,” explained that it “would take a miracle” to evacuate all of their animals and described them as being their children.

Weldon explained to the outlet that they had “10 donkeys,” as well as “nine Highland cows, four goats,” and six dogs. The couple also has more than 100 chickens.

“We have been through other hurricanes but never in the direct path like we are for this one,” Weldon explained. “Evacuating all of our animals would take a miracle, so we stay put with them. They are our children, and we want to stay. We are in a voluntary evacuation zone for now and are not near any bodies of water.”

Around 8:30 p.m., Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 hurricane.

Weldon admitted that while they have “stocked up on gas and propane, filled bathtubs and gotten plenty of food and water,” stocked up on food for their animals, and “ensured fences were tight,” she was still worried.

“I alternate between feeling calm and then crying over my animals,” Weldon added. “When I say goodnight to them tonight, I have no idea if I will see them again; that is an excruciating and heavy thought.”

In a video on TikTok, Weldon previously revealed that they were in the “direct path” of Hurricane Milton and that they were “not evacuating.”

“Please don’t ask me to,” Weldon said. “All these animals are our children. And, I’ve raised most of them — we’ve raised most of them since birth and we’re not leaving them. And, we’re not in an evacuation zone because we’re not near the water, but it’s going to be bad.”