{"id":61818,"date":"2026-01-27T19:22:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T00:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=61818"},"modified":"2026-01-27T19:22:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T00:22:06","slug":"%f0%9d%97%9e%f0%9d%97%b2%f0%9d%97%b2%f0%9d%97%bd%f0%9d%97%b6%f0%9d%97%bb%f0%9d%97%b4-%f0%9d%97%b6%f0%9d%97%bb-%f0%9d%97%ba%f0%9d%97%b6%f0%9d%97%bb%f0%9d%97%b1-%f0%9d%98%81%f0%9d%97%b5%f0%9d%97%b2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2026\/01\/27\/%f0%9d%97%9e%f0%9d%97%b2%f0%9d%97%b2%f0%9d%97%bd%f0%9d%97%b6%f0%9d%97%bb%f0%9d%97%b4-%f0%9d%97%b6%f0%9d%97%bb-%f0%9d%97%ba%f0%9d%97%b6%f0%9d%97%bb%f0%9d%97%b1-%f0%9d%98%81%f0%9d%97%b5%f0%9d%97%b2\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud835\uddde\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf9 \ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf0\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddef\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06 \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06 \ud835\udde2\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00 for feeding street cats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Street Cat Project of Polk County<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\ud835\uddde\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf9 \ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf0\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddef\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06 \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06 \ud835\udde2\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00, we have asked County Attorney Randy Mink, on several different occasions and via several different contact methods, what provision allows Polk County Animal Control officers to ban the public from feeding street cats. So far, Attorney Mink has refused to answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\ud83d\udc3e\" There is no \ud835\udde3\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf9\ud835\uddf8 \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06 Ordinance that bans \ud835\uddf3\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 outside \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude00. \ud835\uddd7\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00, \ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddef\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddee\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf3 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude03\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude05\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06\ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf2, even though city ordinances vary significantly. Only certain municipalities have adopted such feeding=ownership provisions\u2014e.g., Mulberry, Winter Haven, and Polk City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not Lakeland, Bartow, Haines City, Lake Wales, Auburndale, Lake Hamilton, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\ud83d\udccd\" MULBERRY – WINTER HAVEN – POLK CITY<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IF feeding converts into ownership after a defined period AND Ownership carries a legal duty of care. Directing an owner to \u201c\ud835\udde6\ud835\udde7\ud835\udde2\ud835\udde3 \ud835\uddd9\ud835\uddd8\ud835\uddd8\ud835\uddd7\ud835\udddc\ud835\udde1\ud835\uddda\u201d \"\u274c\"\"\ud83c\udf7d\ufe0f\" instructs them to withhold care from an animal they legally own, creating exposure under \ud835\uddd9\ud835\uddf9\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddee \ud835\udde6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude02\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2 \u00a7\ud835\udff4\ud835\udfee\ud835\udff4.\ud835\udfed\ud835\udfee \"\u2696\ufe0f\" (animal cruelty).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\ud83d\udccd\" LAKELAND – BARTOW – HAINES CITY – LAKE WALES – AUBURNDALE, ETC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IF feeding does \ud835\udde1\ud835\udde2\ud835\udde7 create ownership, absent ownership, there is no lawful basis to demand tags, vaccines, or owner compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud835\uddd7\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00, \ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddef\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddee\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf3 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude03\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude05\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06\ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf2, even though city ordinances vary significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u26a0\ufe0f\" \ud835\udde7\ud835\udddb\ud835\uddd8 \ud835\udde5\ud835\uddd8\ud835\uddd4\ud835\udddf \ud835\udddc\ud835\udde6\ud835\udde6\ud835\udde8\ud835\uddd8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u2714\ufe0f\" Feeding Street Cats is legal in Polk County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u2714\ufe0f\" Only some cities convert feeding into ownership<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u274c\" Enforcement is being applied as if all cities are governed identically<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\ud83d\udd25\" This reflects a policy and enforcement failure and appears to exceed the scope of the law<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would it not be more appropriate to redirect Animal Control enforcement resources toward individuals who are actually abusing or neglecting animals\u2014those who are starving them and clearly violating the law\u2014rather than toward residents attempting to provide basic care for Street Cats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have cats in your yard or neighborhood, and they are healthy – feed them, fix them and leave them alone to live their lives. DO NOT TRAP THEM AND TAKE THEM TO ANIMAL CONTROL WHERE THEY RISK BEING KILLED. In 2025 Polk Animal Control killed 3,487 potentially healthy or treatable cats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DONATIONS ARE GREATLY NEEDED TO KEEP US HELPING THE CATS OF POLK COUNTY RECEIVE VET CARE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Website: www.streetcatproject.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donor program: https:\/\/givebutter.com\/52rBJG<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cash App: #TNRinPolk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paypal: $streetcatproject<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#tnrsaveslives<\/a>#feralcats<\/a>#bartow<\/a>#Bartow<\/a>#winterhaven<\/a>#mulberryfl<\/a>#tnr<\/a>#streetcats<\/a>#streetcatsofinstagram<\/a>#streetcatsofpolkcounty<\/a>#lakelandfl<\/a>#euthanasiaisnotpopulationcontrol<\/a>#auburndale<\/a>#Auburndale<\/a>#tnrworks<\/a>#communitycats<\/a>#TNR<\/a>#tnrsaveslives<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Street Cat Project of Polk County \ud835\uddde\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf9 \ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf0\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddef\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06 \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddd6\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude01\ud835\ude06 \ud835\udde2\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00, we have asked County Attorney Randy Mink, on several different occasions… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":61819,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"wpai_generated_summary":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":true,"token":"eyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvaTAud3AuY29tXC9sYWtlbGFuZGdhemV0dGUuaW5mb1wvbmV3c1wvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNlwvMDFcLzYxODczMzI4Ml8xMjMwOTg4NDYyNDc2NTIwXzgxNjY1OTE3MjcwMDI0NzE4OF9uLndlYnA_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.yHu-xubapEpCGnOKD60e_rZfEvuCqp3VShuUAhzEDNUMQ"},"version":2,"attached_media":[{"id":61819,"url":"http:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/618733282_1230988462476520_816659172700247188_n.webp","type":"image\/jpeg"}]},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[13381],"class_list":["post-61818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-13381"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61818"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61820,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61818\/revisions\/61820"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}