There is a better way than killing – better for cats and better for Polk County.
Judd is also selling the dead cats, why is it because of the money or there is no room in the county dump next to the animal services buildings?
Cat cadavers go to Bio Corporation (a company that provides cadavers/specimens to educational institutions).
They pay $10 per cat cadaver to the PCSO. Which means thousands of dollars in the coffers of the PCSO.
Excerpt from FL Statute 823.15(1) Uncontrolled breeding results in the birth of many more puppies and kittens than are needed to provide pet animals to new owners or to replace pet animals that have died or become lost. This leads to many dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens being unwanted, becoming strays and suffering privation and death, being impounded and destroyed at great expense to the community, and constituting a public nuisance and public health hazard. It is therefore declared to be the public policy of the state that every feasible means be used to reduce the incidence of birth of unneeded and unwanted puppies and kittens. Determining which programs result in improved adoption rates and in reduced euthanasia rates for animals in shelters and animal control agencies is crucial to this effort.
Every feasible means be used to reduce the incidence of birth of unneeded and unwanted puppies and kittens.
But Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and his staff refuse to follow the law which they were happy to email the Lakeland Gazette the Florida Statute.
The FL Statute 823.15 even talks about Trapped, Neutered, Released (TNR) but Capt. Steven Horstman stated to the Lakeland Gazette that Polk County Animal Services will “Never have a TNR Program”.
But the answer is this……..
Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR for short, is the only humane and effective approach to addressing outdoor cat populations.
Through TNR, community cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped for identification, and returned to their outdoor homes to live out their lives.
TNR is sound public policy. Scientific studies show that it effectively and humanely addresses the community cat population, reduces shelter intake and killing, and reduces calls to animal services, which saves taxpayer dollars.
Nearly half of the 67 counties in Florida have some sort of TNR program on the books. But not Polk County.
Scientific studies show that TNR ends the breeding cycle, meaning no new kittens are born outdoors while improving the lives and health of community cats. When cats are free from the burden of reproducing, their relationships improve with the people who live near them. And many diseases associated with reproduction, like cancer, are prevented.
Thousands of communities, including many in Florida, have embraced TNR at the grassroots level or as official government policy. It is popular because it works, in rural and urban settings, cold and warm climates, and everywhere in between. Polk County has an opportunity to truly engage with compassionate people in its community to protect cats, reduce outdoor cat populations, and improve neighborhoods countywide.
It’s An Easy Choice
People want to know their county has their back and is committed to forward-thinking, humane standards of care for animals. Polk County has the chance to choose this effective, nonlethal path forward. And it does not have to take the journey alone.
Polk County must realize that the public will never support killing cats en masse, and that any solution must be based on proven science and reflect the values of the community.
Someone must have nothing to do out there. Sheriff Grady said nothing about killing cats. He said not to bother a cat if you see the ear clipped because it had been TNR. Look at the commercials that show you dogs that have been tortured,starved, and left to die. Think before you open your mouth. Look around .
Absolutely ?????
Why are people like you so upset that Sheriff Judd has to iake care of a problem that you won’t. Your being upset tells me you have no idea of the magnitude of the “pet” over population problem is. Even this control will NOT be enough. So take some strolls in all the county, not just your neighborhood, maybe your “cateyes” will open up.
By the way the $10.00 a cadaver doesn’t really cover the time and equipment needed it just defrays some of the cost.
Open your “cateyes” please.
Polk county does have the TNR ! We’ve had many stray cats in our neighborhood that have been caught treated and released. One reason for this is rodent control. These strays will catch and kill rats and mice keeping them from causing damage and spreading disease. The question is when do you stop TNR do to a very overpopulated stray count ? In my opinion the people that fight for the strays to keep rising in numbers should take them in and care for them. I’m not an animal hater but I do believe strongly in the control of population of these strays.
I live in Maryland moving to Florida in a month. In Maryland we have TNR. I feed the feral cats in my area. They definrately take care of mice and rats. They are not useless. They provide a valuable service. Also I am happy to say that one feral cat I have fed for three years has been rescued by me and is my delightful fur baby. We need to make an effort to save as many cats as we can. Also I admire Sherriff Jud Grady a lot. He does a good job. But I strongly dissagree with his cat policy.
Judd needs to step down he’s out of control. Thus is not his dept. There’s animal control. Focus on tge crime guns and yahoo’s that break the law
We worked at Hope House when it was located on 98N here in Lakeland. There was definitely a TNR program going on at that time as we helped in trapping the cats. I agree with the above comments. Stray cats are often starving cats, cats that have to fight with raccoons and other wild animals to survive. TNR helps but it can’t answer all the problems.
My neighborhood was overrun with feral cats!! It just kept getting worse, finally a neighbor started trapping them and animal control would come and get them. He caught 16 cats!!! 16!!! These cats were peeing and pooping everywhere, and I don’t believe that’s healthy! We now have 3 cats that a new, different neighbor feeds. I believe a couple, three cats are ok, to keep the mice and rat population down, anymore than that and it’s a nuisance!
Are they spayed and neutered? If not, you are well on your way to 16+ cats again
If you don’t want the feral cats caught and killed, then stop telling others what to do and get a trap and do something about it, like TNR. If you don’t, then you are directly responsible for the cats being killed. Sheriff Judd has already said they will not bother the cats with an ear snip, because those cats have already been captured and fixed. So it is really a personal choice; do something about it or not.
It’s very sad to me to see that animals are abandoned just as much as children are . In this world . They are children too. Just in a animal form. And from my life’s experience . From what I have seen and witnessed with my own eyes. These situations are alot more common. In house holds . That deals and uses meth . Which is the same reason for so many broken family’s. And children that , have died just from the residue. From the toxic harmful drugs. Just as it is . Harmful to the animals in the house too . I know this. I came from a broken home . Because of these drugs. I was a victim of being sick from it all. As a child. I got lucky. My mother was a user of such things. My father was my safe zone. From it all. But as soon as he left to work. That’s when the physical abuse started . Mentle , emotional abuse started to . Not just to me but as well as the family pets in the house. Always left alone with attention or love or care from her all day. Just as the animas we’re. Hungry lonely.nit feeling like I was loved or cared about . I was just a aggression. As the animals were to her. But when my father got home . It all atopt and was hid . All day waiting untill 5pm from 6am hungry . At 5pm I ate . Untill my father found the truth . And had my baby sister and I over at friends and familys houses to be watched . Untill he got off the clock.
TNR seems plausible but there is also another side to the story. Many of the cats in the wild are not strays. I have neighbors that refuse to take care of their animals and just turn them loose outside. So now we have about 30 cats running around the neighborhood. My car is scratched and gouged on the hood and trunk. Who is going to repaint my car? Start finding the owners heavily or declaw the cats. They leave their feces all under my carport and in my yard without covering it up. I love animals too but something besides the DNR program has to be done.
I personally have taken I’m 20 cats. Had them neutered and that way population is reduced
Yes I had invested my personal money but over population is due to irresponsible people who take in a pet and when they get tired, out they go. People don’t give pets as gifts. They deserve better.
I also spay and neuter cats in my town and country neighborhood, over 50 cats in 30 years. People move out and leave their cats.
The problem is people like my neighbors they let the cats breed. We have tried to catch them and get them all fixed but they just keep bringing home new ones. The problem is the people who do not take care or care about their pets and the same can be said about children. Until you can fine and punish people the problem will never go away.