GRADY’S GRAVEYARD
Sheriff Grady Judd compared free-roaming cats to boa constrictors and iguanas.
His Sheriff’s Office opposes Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), arguing that it doesn’t effectively reduce roaming cat populations.
But here’s what the research actually shows:
85% reduction in a free-roaming cat population at the University of Central Florida over a long-term TNR program.
55% reduction in a Key Largo, Florida, community cat population.
47.8% reduction in a managed cat colony in an 18-month study.
These programs don’t just trap cats. They sterilize them, prevent future litters, and manage populations over time.
So here’s the question:
If managed sterilization programs can reduce free-roaming cat populations, why does Polk County keep opposing them?
Polk County needs an evidence-based plan for its cats, not just comparisons to reptiles.
Where the statistics don’t stay buried.