UPDATED: Alachua County opens formal investigations into allegations of animal abuse at its animal shelter
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
Updated on March 6 with additional information from the County Manager.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alachua County has opened formal investigations into allegations of animal abuse at the Alachua County Animal Resources (ACAR) shelter.
A lengthy email was sent to Alachua County Commissioners on March 2 by Anthony, a former Shelter Outreach Coordinator for ACAR, with a list of allegations that included:
- Staff members are “meticulously targeted” for having genuine concerns about animal welfare;
- The shelter has not had a veterinarian or director since August;
- The current Shelter Supervisor Brittany D’Azzo, who has applied for the Director position, came from Polk County’s shelter, where news reports documented “alarming allegations”;
- Dogs are not taken out of their kennels every day, as recommended by the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC);
- There are numerous failures to clean dog kennels, play yards, the puppy yard, and cat kennels;
- Water bowls are “riddled with algae,” and there is an ongoing rat infestation;
- Illnesses have spread through the shelter multiple times over the past 6 months, and “parvovirus has become common in the kennels”;
- Animals often do not have water;
- Animals are “held behind or accepted to buffer statistics” instead of moving them out as quickly as possible;
- Several animals are “missing in foster care,” and Anthony alleged that Interim Shelter Director Gina Peebles “instructed staff to process all missing animals out as adoptions to boost the live release rate”;
- Two ferrets were blocked from rescue transfer so “select staff could have ’emotional support pets'”;
- A puppy was euthanized after it tested positive for parvovirus after being left in a freezing kennel following surgery, and a littermate was sent back to a homeless owner without notifying the owner of the parvovirus exposure;
- A German Shepherd was “suffering for days before ultimately collapsing” at an unknown time before she was found;
- Medical staff leave medication in bowls and are not required to ensure the animals receive their medication;
- Many kittens unnecessarily die within days of entering the shelter;
- Animals that are known to be sick are placed on the adoption floor;
- Following an increase in dog euthanasia, D’Azzo and Peebles pulled cats from Marion County Animal Services, knowing they could be adopted quickly, to “quickly and quietly buffer the live release rate”;
- The overall live release rate for 2025 fell below 90%, but leadership “quickly ‘fixed’ the reports”;
- An unusual number of dogs were euthanized in December after Peebles learned that “dogs were coming in from a case, 7 to 10 kennels were needed, so dogs were selected to be euthanized”;
- After staff and volunteers emailed County Commissioners, objecting to the euthanasia, “retaliation began,” with instruction to ban some volunteers;
- Euthanasia logs were falsified to make it appear that more supervisors signed off on the euthanasia;
- “Numerous” long-term dogs were sent to a “mysterious non-profit (operated by a person who conducts euthanasia trainings,” and the County will not release the name of the rescue organization, citing public records laws.
After this letter was posted on social media, members of the public began flooding County Commissioners with emails, most of which requested three things:
- A full and independent investigation into:
- All euthanasia records
- Animal welfare protocols
- Any breaches or deviations from required standards
- The suspension of Gina Peebles (Interim Director) and Brittany D’Azzo (Shelter Supervisor).
- The immediate removal of Brittany D’Azzo from consideration for the permanent Director position, and the resumption of a comprehensive search to ensure qualified, humane, and accountable leadership is appointed.
The owner of a local animal rescue organization sent an email to County Commissioners, asking that D’Azzo not be considered for the Shelter Director position. She wrote, “The last 6 months have proved to be the worst I have witnessed when it comes to transparency, respect, and care the current (interim) leadership has shown the animals along with staff and volunteers… The current leadership has shown to be inept when it comes to elevating or even maintaining animal welfare standards and in creating an environment where people and animals are valued… I hope you will reconsider Brittany D’Azzo as a candidate for the Director position as you further investigate the allegations brought forth.”
At least one member of AWAC has also requested an emergency meeting of the committee.
Formal investigation
Alachua County Human Resources Director Suzanne Swain responded to one of the emails: “We received allegations that were recently brought to our attention and opened a formal investigation into the matter. This review will be conducted in accordance with our policies and procedures to ensure that all relevant information is investigated. We take these concerns seriously and are committed to conducting a fair and thorough investigation. If additional information is required during the process, we will reach out accordingly.”
County Commissioner Mary Alford posted on the Friends of Alachua County Animals Facebook page that the County Manager is hiring a third-party investigative firm to “go through and investigate every allegation in this letter… It won’t be quick and it will be expensive but it needs to happen.”
County Manager provided additional information to County Commissioners on March 6
In an email to County Commissioners on March 6, County Manager Michele Lieberman provided the following updates:
- Independent Investigation: The County has retained an independent, third-party firm to conduct a formal investigation into the allegations referenced in the recent email. This matter is being managed by the County Attorney’s Office, in coordination with Human Resources. Once the investigation scope is finalized in accordance with applicable ordinances, policies, and procedures, we will provide you an update on the scope.
- Constituent Inquiries: Inquiries received through County Administration or ACAR are being routed to the County’s Human Resources Director. Citizens are being informed that the County has engaged an independent firm to investigate the matter pursuant to County policies and procedures. Members of the Animal Welfare Advisory Board have also been notified that an investigation is underway.
- Operational Audits: The department previously underwent operational reviews in 2012 (University of Florida) and 2019 (Hillsborough County). If additional issues are raised that are not appropriate to address within the scope of the current independent investigation, County Administration will move forward with commissioning a new operational audit to evaluate those matters.
- Recruitment Updates (Veterinarian and Director): A national recruitment was conducted for both the Veterinarian and Director positions through MGT (formerly GovHR). The selected Veterinarian candidate has accepted the County’s offer and is scheduled to begin Monday, May 4. Three finalists have been identified for the Director position in consultation with MGT. Finalist interviews are scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, to be conducted by the County Manager and an MGT representative.
- New Shelter Site (UF Lease and Project Delivery): The executed lease from the University of Florida for the new shelter location has been received. The Board previously selected the architectural firm and construction management firm. The architectural firm has been directed to begin work, and terms with the construction management firm have been reached; the agreement will be brought to the Board for consideration in the near term.
- Sheriff’s Office Transition: The Sheriff’s Office will assume responsibility for a portion of the investigations function effective March 8. Regular interagency coordination meetings are scheduled to support a smooth transition and ensure effective operations.
The University of Florida may want to reconsider any animal services partnership with the county.
No partnership. We as taxpayers are going to give UF a million dollars to lease a 12 acre parcel that backs up to a lake. UF wanted 3 million last year. It was recommended that shelter needed at least 20 acres. City OWNS 20 acres adjacent to current shelter, but will put lease money into land that floods and is already inadequate for future needs. It’s a bargain sale by UF, they’re not going to build on it but we will or bust a gut trying. It will take three years. In the interim, the rats will expand their current occupancy in shelter building that is falling apart!
Usually a culture comes from the top, the full-time leadership. Unless they plead ignorance somehow, maybe sitting in an office all day? 🧐🤔🙄
The entire charade of the new shelter being put on land owned by UF for $1 million dollars when we have free land the county owns shows a huge disconnect. First of all Prizzia works for UF, how in the world can she vote to give UF tax dollars? Is that not a conflict of interest? I’m going to forward my concerns to both the State Attorney and the Florida Ethics board. Not to mention the waste of MY TAX dollars.
The allegations made towards Gina Peeples and Beverly D’Azzo are more than disturbing. It shows extremely poor governance by the County Commision. This entire issue has been handled so financially wastefully and county employees treated so poorly I would suspend both Peeples and D’Azzo until this is sorted out.
As an animal advocate I find this is particulary disturbing and if criminal charges are in order I certainly hope the people responsible are terminated and punished.
I totally agree with you. Thank you for anything you can do.
And hopefully UF will not use the animal shelter as free pickings for animal research.
UF animal testing is based out of the (ironically named) Animal Care Sevices and is located in the basement of the Communicore Building (directly adjacent to the original Shands building). They have biological safety labs (BSL2 and a BSL3 (if the level 3 ever actually passed final commissioning). That’s where they test “select agents” on animals. I’ve personally seen mice, monkeys and dogs in there. Very sad…
https://acs.ufl.edu/
This is so very disturbing. Heartbreaking.
-County Commissioner Mary Alford posted on the Friends of Alachua County Animals Facebook page that the County Manager is hiring a third-party investigative firm to “go through and investigate every allegation in this letter… It won’t be quick and it will be expensive but it needs to happen.”-
That’s an insane idea. There is no need to pay an “investigative firm” some insane amount of taxpayer money to fix this problem.
That’s your job Mary, if the BoCC can’t handle this issue without paying for worthless outsider advice, then why are they there?
The BoCC just need to apply an ounce of common sense, and lay down the law to any and everybody associated with the shelter…problem solved, move on.
I hear Christ Noem is job hunting. Maybe if we call the animals ILLEGALS IN DETENTION this treatment would pass MAGA muster and be applauded.
Seriously maltreatment of all living things is wrong.
Investigate and make the necessary improvements.
You won the prize today, TDS boy
Alachua county has always done a good job at the pound…
it’s always like rescue places are always filled up with pit bulls…
they are very powerful animals and it always seem the wrong people get them and breed them.
While the county is checking on the pound, the city & county should make a strong ordinance that these dogs must have a permits & insurance…
This Will stop the pounds from being filled up with them…
We adopted a shepherd in the beginning of September. It was during an adopt-a-thon, at the end of the day. My husband stayed for all the paperwork and the dog rode home with me because his truck was full. When he came home, he had a bag full of trazodone and gabapentin and the worksheet on how to introduce your dog the home. There was no adoption paperwork on her, that history, or even why she was on the meds. Later that evening, there was quite a bit of blood and vaginal discharge. Being as it was a Saturday night, there was absolutely nothing we could do until Monday. I closely monitored the situation ( I am in the animal industry), and called them immediately on Tuesday morning. I described my concerns and insisted that she see a vet for the vaginal discharge since she had been spayed a month prior. At first, I was told that any vet care was my responsibility once I assumed ownership of the dog. I stopped that conversation and it’s tracks. She was seen later on that day. I was also able to obtain her medical information and she had been returned two times prior for essentially being crazy. We kept her on her meds because it is dangerous to just yank them off. She was on them for severe separation anxiety. She has been working with Paws for Patriots as a service dog for my husband since her adoption. She is no longer on meds and her health is fantastic. I shudder to think what would have happened had she gone home with somebody who had no experience with animals. I was appalled at how messy the situation was, especially with the paperwork. That being said, the volunteers were absolutely fantastic and genuinely cared about the dogs. One in particular had recommended her as a potential service animal and he was right. It did take some patience, but she is the best service animal we have ever seen. I hope she was not the Shepherd that collapsed in the allegations. But, it would not surprise me because she was very high anxiety when we first got her. We worked with our vet and everyone was concerned about the amount of meds she was getting.
Isn’t mistreatment of animals against the law? So have any deputies visited the place to check things out? Have any commissioners?
If not, are you all just allowing for evidence to be erased?
They are probably all out at the Wildflower Festival grounds in Melrose, dancing and clapping to the music while doing yoga in the tents or volunteering for their ol’ boy friend-part owner from former commissioner days. They haven’t got time to visit at an animal shelter they are responsible for. After all if you can’t see it, hear it or smell it from their house, it isn’t a ‘problem’- let the neighbors deal with it. And they don’t need any kind of investigation. Like Wildflower owners, the staff can just ‘say’ they are doing the right thing. Who needs to verify?
IF all, or even some, of these allegations are proven to be true, THEN shame on Alachua County, FL for any undue suffering of these animals.
“The devil is in the details.”
In today’s polarized political atmosphere, it’s impossible to know who to believe and who to trust.
I fail to understand why an outside group ot person needs to do the investigation. Animal neglect and abuse are criminal violations, as well as any fraudulent violations. ASO can do the investigation. If there is a conflict of interest than see if FDLE will take over from there. I think someone doesn’t want a c criminal case investigation. Wasn’t the county commission that wanted to bring animals services under tge ASO umbrella.
So will animal services be open on March 11 in light of this new information. The top candidate may be no more.
None of this is surprising for people that have volunteered in the shelter and reported similar concerns for years. Shame on the county commissioners for being too immature to spend time there so they can make informed decisions on leadership and developing a new shelter. Calling this shelter a “no kill shelter” is false advertising for people that don’t understand it actually means a 10% kill rate and encourages the manipulation of data to reach a 90% live release rate.
I was at the meeting where Prizza said ” its too much for me. I dont like the shelter” . Really? Go back to UF and stop pretending to care.
Typical… A new name goes up on the front of the building, as you see flames and smoke coming out the back.
“Numerous” long-term dogs were sent to a “mysterious non-profit (operated by a person who conducts euthanasia trainings,” and the County will not release the name of the rescue organization, citing public records laws.
This is the most disturbing part of this to me. I had agreed to foster one of the “missing” dogs. I informed shelter staff that I would rather adopt the pet than have it shipped to to a mystery rescue that has a “euthanasia teacher” as a founder/operator. The poor dog has dissappeared. She has not appeared on ANY rescues website. I am afraid that they just killed this poor dog or sent elsewhere to be killed so that “the numbers arent bad”. This is simply unacceptable and a horrible thing. I hope and pray that the persons responsible for the horror that is our local shelter are dismissed and punished.
It’s a shame that the healthiest, most educated, wealthiest, and overall best people in the state can’t do better than this.