LAKE BUTLER, Fla. – More than 50 people from 12 different animal advocacy organizations and shelters in Florida have signed a 197-page complaint, requesting the state review and potentially launch an investigation into the Union County Animal Control Office.
The complaint was sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, and Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
The complaint alleges a pattern of animal cruelty, animal neglect, statutory violations and leadership failures that, according to animal advocates, have resulted in repeated, unnecessary pain and suffering for animals entrusted to the Union County Animal Control office.
The advocates who signed the complaint said they have repeatedly made direct attempts to address animal welfare concerns with the county’s animal control director.
Mike Merrill, president of Florida Urgent Rescue (F.U.R.), told News4JAX those attempts took place over months.
According to the complaint, the most serious allegations center on how the animal control office handled the string of frigid temperatures last month. Union County Animal Control has an outdoor shelter, meaning the dogs in custody stay in outdoor cages.
“F.U.R. volunteers tried to step in to remove the dogs from the Union County Animal Control facility to be moved to Pet Paradise boarding. There was already a spot reserved for all the dogs that were there,” said Marlene Ritter, an animal advocate and F.U.R. volunteer.
But the complaint states that -- despite public warnings about keeping dogs and cats indoors during the extended freezing temperatures -- volunteers from F.U.R. were blocked from relocating the shelter animals ahead of the freezing weather.
“All the other counties proactively tried to get ahead of this problem because everyone knew this record-setting freeze was coming. Union County just shrugged it off and ignored it,” Merrill said.
But Union County Coordinator James Williams pushed back on the allegations about the issues during the freezing weather.
In a statement to News4JAX, Williams said in part:
“The county has thoroughly investigated these claims. Pursuant to this investigation, the County has determined that adequate cold protection was always provided at its facilities in accordance with Florida state law, and that no animals were harmed.” (Scroll down to read Williams’ full statement)
But according to the advocates’ complaint, when the dogs were eventually released to F.U.R., the animals were found to have been suffering from neglect, parasitic infestations, untreated medical conditions, and extreme physical deterioration. Two of the dogs had reportedly gone missing.
The complaint lists several incidents that they said raised red flags for animal advocates.
The first one refers to a dog named “Elsa” that became pregnant while in animal control custody. According to the complaint, the pregnant dog was severely emaciated and anemic because of neglect.
“She was very clearly pregnant. Extremely emaciated. I was absolutely shocked,” said F.U.R. volunteer Erin Kupchka, who eventually took possession of Elsa.
Kupchka said she couldn’t believe it was the same dog because when she saw Elsa months earlier, the dog was healthy and not pregnant.
She and several others wondered how Elsa could become pregnant while in animal control custody.
“What were the boy dogs doing with the female dog? It’s incomprehensible to me,” said Merrill.
The complaint alleges that Elsa did not receive veterinary care in the two and a half months she was at the shelter and that she was left outside in the freezing temperatures.
Other allegations claim the dogs suffered from untreated conditions.
“There was heartworm medication, dewormer, flea medication, all of those things that were donated to the facility whenever they are in need that had gone unused and been nearly expired,” Ritter said.
Union County Animal Control is also accused of repeatedly adopting out unsterilized animals without collecting the mandatory refundable deposit or ensuring follow-up compliance despite repeated written and verbal notices of state law requirements.
The complainants allege they documented multiple times when animals were either transferred, adopted out, or released to a rescue group without the information on those dogs being entered into the official shelter record.
The complaint also alleges failure to provide exercise and maintain sanitary conditions, saying dogs were often left in dirty cages for extended periods of time without removal for adequate exercise.
The complaint mentions Union County Animal Control leadership, specifically, Director Lamar Griffis.
Advocates question his leadership and oversight of the department.
“The irony is that these are the people that are charged with investigating abuse in their community,” Merrill said. “Where is the accountability?”
The 197-page complaint lists several reasons for state law enforcement to open an investigation into the animal control office.
Those examples included:
- Screenshots of text messages, one of which was about seeing if there was a way to bring the animals indoors during the sub-freezing temperatures.
- Screenshots of warnings from shelters in other nearby counties about keeping pets indoors during the frigid weather.
- Screenshots of a warning from the National Weather Service about making sure pets are brought indoors.
- An arrest warrant affidavit for Jefferson County Animal Control officer Alexander Burdick, who was accused of impounding 27 dogs without sufficient food and water this past January. One dog died and another went missing while in custody. The complaint says that Burdick’s arrest shows there is a precedent when it comes to holding animal control personnel accountable for alleged neglect and abuse.
- Photographs of animals that were allegedly left outside in frigid conditions, including photos of the emaciated dog that reportedly became pregnant while in Union County Animal Control custody.
News4JAX traveled to the Union County Animal Control office and attempted to speak with the director. A woman who only identified herself as the office secretary told News4JAX that she, nor the director, nor any animal control employee, is allowed to speak to the media.
She then directed News4JAX to Union County coordinator Jimmy Williams, who issued the following statement in response to the complaint:
Union County has been made aware of allegations circulating on social media and in emails to the county regarding animal welfare at the Union County animal control facilities during the recent cold weather. The county has thoroughly investigated these claims. Pursuant to this investigation, the County has determined that adequate cold protection was always provided at its facilities in accordance with Florida state law, and that no animals were harmed.
The county investigation did document one incident where a female dog was mistakenly allowed recreational yard time with male dogs and became pregnant as a result. This error was attributed to an erroneous determination that the female had been spayed following a veterinarian visit. The animal arrived at the Union County facilities in poor condition due to heartworms and was given treatment to the extent possible.
Union County works with a number of animal rescues as well as other local governments and municipalities to attempt to adopt out as many animals as possible, and welcomes all volunteer efforts and funding to assist in this mission. Union County takes animal welfare seriously and is proud of its success rate in rehoming stray animals despite its fiscal constraints as a small rural community.
James Williams, Union County Coordinator