PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — Various animal rescue groups say Putnam County acted too quickly when it allowed for public adoption of animals it took from a hoarding case. Last Wednesday and Thursday, 200 dogs were seized from one property in Interlachen.
Friday, Putnam County leaders held an adoption event, giving some of those dogs to people who wanted them.
Mike Merrill is the Executive Director of Florida Urgent Rescue – or F.U.R. It’s an animal rescue based in Jacksonville.
Merrill's organization offered to take 100 dogs to be placed in pre-approved foster homes. However, Putnam County leaders told no because "too many other rescue and shelters that want them," he said.
So he was appalled that about 35 of the dogs from the case were put up for public adoption Friday, just 1-2 days after being taken out of the hoarding situation.
"That adoption event never should have happened. These dogs were not ready to be adopted," Merrill said. "These dogs were sick. Some of them had pale gums. They're all loaded with fleas."
He says he knows this because "I was there. I spent two days at the (Putnam County animal) shelter during the case as the animals were coming in," Merrill said.
He said dogs rounded up from a hoarding case like this need thorough medical attention, time to decompress and they need to be quarantined. All things animal rescue groups do."
First Coast News has learned of other animal rescue organizations who were turned away.
Sierra Hancock works with Rags to Riches Animal Rescue in Tampa. She said, "That morning I drove two-and-a-half hours out there to stay two-and-a-half hours trying to figure out what was going on and why these dogs were put up for adoption instead of giving" them to the rescues.
Hancock said her rescue group confirmed with Putnam County that it would take twenty of the medically needy dogs. However, Putnam County gave her group no dogs.
"They (Putnam County) literally snatched dogs out of our carrier," Hancock said. "She said, "'I think I can get it adopted.' She walked it through that ring and someone adopted it."
Putnam County’s Deputy Administrator Julianne Young told First Coast News, "There has been a lot of bad information and assumptions shared online. The vast majority of animals were given to rescues, a few were made available for adoption. Many of the dogs adopted at Fridays event were shelter dogs that has been in our shelter for weeks or months and have now found their forever home & family to love them."
Young continued, "The few small dogs which were made available were seen by an on site veterinary (sic) who explained the animals’ care needs and have been contacted for any additional support the family may need with their new four legged family member. The community was deeply invested in this unfortunate situation and wanted to be a part of helping - some through donations and some, who were capable, through adoption."
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office told First Coast News that the county did not adopt out sick dogs Friday.
The dogs were not spayed or neutered, but people had to sign a form promising to do so.
Merrill said that is not enough.