Editorial
In simple terms, when you comment on a government post, your comment should relate to the subject of that post.
Some government officials have used “off-topic” comments as a reason to remove or restrict public participation.
Well, Sheriff Grady Judd has just opened the door for us to discuss animal welfare and his management of Polk County Animal Control!
This is an ON-TOPIC opportunity!
Go at it! Share your opinions, concerns, and questions about how Sheriff Grady Judd manages Polk County Animal Control, the killing of shelter animals, and the ongoing animal welfare crisis in Polk County.
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What in the world is this man doing running Polk County Animal Control? He has NO training or experience running an effective and humane shelter. He eschews evidence-based information on the humane and effective management of community cats. While I respect him as a law enforcement officer, he needs to cede Animal Control to a standalone county agency run by individuals well-versed in humane and effective population management.
While we’re on the subject, why won’t the County Commissioners update the county animal ordinance to reflect modern trends in community cat management? They have the power to do so, yet they continually say, “This is Grady’s deal,” and refuse to do the right thing. They are derelict in their duty…
Maybe you should volunteer your services to run the shelter
He should not be oncharge of the animal shelter. We need more spaying and neutering.
We need more programs for Ferrell cats, they really need our help. We cannot keep killing these animals.
Isn’t there a law against animal cruelty? Isn’t euthanizing hundreds of not thousands healthy animals just because you don’t wish to find a better solution animal cruelty? Perhaps if he stopped showcasing himself in video recordings and learn to appreciate that animals wish to live as much as people then perhaps he would understand the outrage he is causing. But that requires a soul and those who allow this kind of cruelty lack a soul. Some noted people who liked to kill animals are; Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, David Berkowitz, Albert DeSalvo, Henry Lee Lucas just to name a few.
Well said!!!!
He does not need to be over the animal shelter. I was told by a commissioner that as long as Grady is over the shelter nothing will be done to improve the living situations. He truly is not an animal lover.
It’s not just the animals he’s giving the finger to. And to think this person costs over a quarter million dollars *yearly* alone
If you don’t care about animals, you don’t care about people.. how about the lies? He has told about the police dogs in service and what happened to them when it was friendly fire nobody cameras, no accountability. A dead suspect can’t possibly shoot a dog Repeatedly when he was instantly ended by multiple officers..
I wouldn’t follow the gazette because of your post of Grady in handcuffs and shooting birds.
It’s DISGUSTING and HORRIFIC to be killing INNOCENT animals! He should be in jail.
I agree! This is in very poor taste of a man who works very hard to keep Polk County safe!!
It’s DISGUSTING and HORRIFIC to be killing INNOCENT animals! I respect Sheriff Judd’s policing of evil criminals but he needs to be removed from Animal Control! These animals need to be in HUMANE NO KILL SHELTERS where they have the BEST CHANCE at getting a GOOD LIFE, not be EUTHANIZED!!
Lakeland Gazette seems to be so negative when it comes to the Polk County Animal Shelter and our Great Sheriff Grady Judd.
Why don’t you start a fund raising effort to assist with the care of the animals at the shelter. It seems the area communities might show an interest in providing needed supplies for the shelter. Foods, blankets, sheets, towels, kitty litter, toys, bleach. These are items they need daily at the shelter. Please help them care for the animals that have been neglected by their owners and turned in as so called strays. I have seen this happen while bringing supplies myself. The look of the dog being brought in by their owner is heartbreaking. I am sure that animal was not a stray at all.
Please help provide for the shelter if you truly care about the animals in our county.
Dear Cathleen Ackerman,
First, the Lakeland Gazette publisher has five rescue cats and six TNVR cats outside.
Polk County Animal Shelter is one of Florida’s worst-run shelters, and Grady Judd knows this. But he refuses to do anything about this. Why? They just kill the cats and sell their bodies for $10.
When you have the irresponsible people who do not take care of animals this is what happens. I used to work in a shelter, and yes we did euthanize, every adoptable animal we got was given the chance to get a home, but unfortunately we could only keep them for so long we had new ones coming in and needed to give them a chance so we needed room for them. We DID NOT WANT TO do what we had to do, but until people become more responsible or you work in a shelter and see the volume of animals coming in don’t judge the job we have to do.