Anna was adopted by my fiancé and me, along with her sister, Ava. At the time of first contact, Anna was a 10-week-old puppy who appeared alert, playful, and responsive. During our visit to the shelter, we were informed by a deputy that we had approximately three minutes remaining in our tour. Additionally, we were required to leave our mobile phones in our vehicle. I found these restrictions inappropriate and concerning, as they limited our ability to adequately assess the animals and the conditions in which they were housed.
Although I am currently a resident of Polk County, I am not originally from Florida. I have never previously encountered shelter conditions comparable to those observed at this facility.
The shelter lacked air conditioning. Numerous kennels contained multiple dogs sharing a single water bucket. There were no visible cots, bedding, blankets, toys, or enrichment materials provided.…