Editorial
Currently, Polk Animal Control is under the control of the Polk Sheriff’s Office.
Judd is also selling the dead cats. Is it because of the money or because 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).
Bio Corporation pays $10 per cat cadaver to the PCSO. Which means thousands of dollars in the coffers of the PCSO.
Some of the murdered dogs are given to the UF Vet School.
Florida Statute states:
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 Animal Services has killed on average over 457 animals a month from Jan to Oct 2024
The problem is Sheriff Grady Judd is an asshole and is power-hungry. But Judd refuses to answer any questions about his animal services division, why?????
Transparency is need now at the Polk County Aminal Serices.
Sheriff Grady Judd should be fired for killing cats and dogs!
Imagine how little children would feel if they knew he was killing kittens and puppies!
Shame on him!😡
People need to pay attention to this issue. The conditions are really inhumane at the facility. I really used to like Grady Judd but now I can’t see him without thinking of how cruel he is when it comes to the animals. There are solutions but he refuses to consider them. Wake up people! Time to start protecting the innocent.
Judge asked to step down from being in charge of animal control… He was approached by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and they offered to build Polk County at $5 million shelter to become no kill and he refused… He is a murderer
Correction and clarification: Best Friends did not offer Polk County a new shelter nor to contract services. Best Friends did provide PCAC monies, services, training and other lifesaving assistance for nearly six years. I personally carried an offer, funded by another nonprofit, to construct a new shelter and to contract all animal services sheltering and enforcement for Polk County. We spent months negotiating and attending meetings (none of which SGJ would grace with his own presence). We offered to build and operate a new shelter for the county. The only thing we asked was that they allot the existing animal services annual budget of about $5 million for operations and we’d match that with an additional $5 million for annual operations. SGJ said no – zero explanation – just “no”. So, the killing continues. The difference now is that here is no longer any legitimate excuse for it (not that there ever really was one). A cost-free solution was handed to them on a silver platter – no strings attached – and it was turned down with no explanation. Those of us outside of Polk – Best Friends, Florida Leaders in Lifesaving, and many others – have done what we can. It is your turn – you, residents and organizations in Polk- to demand accountability from your animal control division. While doing that, also look for the helpers and support them. You have an AMAZING dog rescue organization-foster, volunteer, adopt or donate to them. You have an equally amazing TNR cat group-trap, foster, volunteer, or donate to them. Part of our early work in Polk was to assist and lift up other animal orgs and they are doing Yeoman’s work but need your help. Turn your anger into action and focus on solutions.