Disappointed with their reception within Polk County, animal advocates addressed their arguments to a higher authority: members of the Florida Legislature.
During the Polk legislative delegation’s annual public meeting, a parade of residents implored the lawmakers to help them change conditions at the Polk County Animal Shelter and establish a trap, neuter, vaccinate, and return program for “community cats.”
All six of Polk’s legislators attended the Aug. 12 meeting, held in the Polk County Commission boardroom: Sen. Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula; Sen. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland; Rep. Jon Albert, R-Frostproof; Rep. Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland; Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, R-Lakeland; and Rep. Josie Tomkow, R-Polk City.
The 2026 legislation session begins Jan. 13. The pre-session gathering occurred earlier than usual, as lawmakers will be occupied with committee meetings throughout the fall.
The meeting, an invitation for local officials and citizens to share concerns, suggest legislation, and request funding for specific projects, drew fewer speakers than in previous years and lasted only two of the allotted four hours.
As is their custom, legislators mostly sat silently after their opening introductions and listened to speakers, who were limited to three minutes each.
At least nine of the nearly 50 speakers raised concerns about the Polk County Animal Shelter and the policies of the Animal Control division, operated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Some of those advocates had previously spoken at meetings of the Polk County Commission. One of them, Saralyn Smith of Lakeland, recalled having Commissioner Bill Braswell tell them that the panel has no authority over Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
Smith, representing Animal Defenders of Polk County, said she found that statement perplexing. The County Commission determines the annual budget for the Sheriff’s Office.
State guidelines on outdoor cats?
Animal advocates criticized Polk County Animal Control for its euthanasia rate.
After the meeting, Scott Wilder, a spokesperson for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, cited the University of Florida’s Shelter Animal Census Data from 2023, showing Polk with 11,419 live releases of dogs and cats, the eighth-highest total in the state. The chart listed Polk’s live outcome rate at 65%, below the state average of 83%.
Speakers lamented that Judd will not consider implementing a trap, neuter, vaccinate and return program as a means to reduce reproduction among free-roaming cats, sometimes called community cats.
Polk City resident Robert Weedon, a veterinarian and retired faculty member of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, asked lawmakers to consider legislation “that would offer statewide protection and guidance for the management of feral and free-roaming cats, known more broadly as community cats.”
Weedon cited a Brevard County ordinance allowing registered cat colonies to be established and maintained.
“At the opposite end of the spectrum is Polk County, where not only are TNVR programs discouraged, but they are also actively opposed by Polk County Animal Control and Sheriff Grady Judd,” Weedon said.
Sheriff’s PIO Mr. Wilder confirmed that Judd opposes such programs.
“Feral cats are invasive and negatively affect wildlife, especially wild birds,” he said by email. “TNR colonies attract more intact cats (that continue to breed) because of the food provided to these colonies.”
Feral and roaming cats suffer predation by coyotes and other animals, are killed by traffic and die of disease and untreated injuries, Wilder said.
Tina Brennan praised Judd as “a wonderful lawman” but said that he seems to be prejudiced against cats. She and others alleged that there is a lack of transparency in Animal Control’s operations.
“Here, we are basically running a slaughterhouse, and it’s a slaughterhouse without transparency because we’re not allowed to have, as you already know, cell phones or cameras in Animal Control,” she said.
Wilder has previously said that the Sheriff’s Office does not allow phones with cameras in secure areas but allows photography in public areas.
Patricia Kirby of Clearwater told legislators of the improvements Hillsborough and Pinellas counties have made in their rates of live outcomes at animal shelters. Before adopting a TNVR program, the only option in Pinellas for feral cats was euthanasia, she said, something that affected the mental health of employees.
Polk County Animal Control adopted out more than 6,200 animals and spayed and neutered over 6,000 cats and dogs in 2024, Wilder said. He noted that Judd has created a spay and neuter fund and formed a partnership with SPCA Florida.
In a rare moment of a legislator responding to an address, Burton asked Patricia Kirby if she was working with the Polk County Commission.
“You are aware that we are not the Polk County Commission?” Burton asked.
“Yes, I am aware of that,” Kirby replied. “But I know that you’re on a state level and you have power.”