I’ve submitted a few emails to the county regarding the apparently false numbers presented on page 37 of the 2015 State of the County report.  Here’s the latest.  I would like the county to substantiate the number of animals it claims have been handled at the Lower Keys shelter and the Middle Keys shelter.  Those numbers are not backed up by the monthly reports.

I strongly suspect that the county has inflated the number of animals handled at those two shelters in order to justify the much lower funding level provided to the Upper Keys shelter.  The Upper Keys shelter, of course, has a kill rate that is three times higher than the other two.  If the county’s aim is the humane treatment of animals, one wonders why the shelter with the highest kill rate (by far!) would receive the least money (by far!).

So far, the county has refused to respond.  That’s a pretty good indication that the numbers are simply made up.  I wish I could say I’m shocked, but sadly I’m not.  This is actually very typical behavior on the county’s part.  I’ve demanded a response, but I do not expect one.  I’ve caught them in a lie (again!) so they will simply stonewall and hope it all goes away.

As far as the county commissioners are concerned, animal control seems to be more about money and politics than doing the best they can for defenseless animals.  Disgusting but true.

Here’s the iPhone Bandit’s deposition in the SUFA lawsuit.  The part about “sloppy bookkeeping” and accurate reporting is pretty ironic in light of the current situation.