POLK COUNTY, Fla. -- Animal advocates in Polk County are gearing up to use their voices to advocate for change at Polk County Animal Control. And it's not the first time they've done so.
Last month, inspired by an ABC Action News report, dozens of them spoke at a Polk County Commission meeting.
According to records from the University of Florida's Department of Veterinary Medicine, the Polk County shelter's "Live Outcome Rate" was 58% in 2024, which means 42% of animals did not leave the county shelter alive.
However, that wasn't the 2024 statistic that raised the biggest red flag.
In 2024, 401 dogs and cats combined died in the shelter for reasons not related to euthanasia.
Additionally, 564 animals escaped from the shelter. The vast majority of those escapees were cats.
When you look around the state, those numbers are higher than in many other counties.
In the meeting last month, speakers asked for a handful of policies that they believe would help improve animal welfare.
Specifically, they called for a more robust spay/neuter program, a program to manage Polk County's feral cats, and a committee to provide oversight.
Commissioners, however, did not budge, so animal advocates plan to show up to the county commission's latest meeting, which is set for Tuesday, July 15 at 9 a.m.
"I'm not sure how they're going to take it or what we're going to be able to accomplish, but we're going to continue asking for the basic animal welfare ordinances to be enacted," said Jessica Ragazzo, an animal advocate.
Advocates will have to be patient during the Tuesday meeting.
Though they spoke toward the beginning of the meeting last time, since then, the commission has changed its policy. Now, the general public comment -- related to topics that are not on the agenda -- will happen toward the end of the meeting.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office has rejected the criticism and defended its record at Polk County Animal Control. In a previous statement, it told ABC Action News that animals are loved and well cared for.