Franson: Alachua County must do better in following up on animal abuse reports

Letter to the editor

Thank you to the Alachua Chronicle for the article of 11/1/2023 regarding the evaluation of Michele Lieberman, County Manager, and Sylvia Torres, County Attorney. I also thank Commissioner Alford for taking a risk and being honest in her evaluations of these two County employees. I respond as a citizen who, with many other citizens, has had years of personal experience with Michele Lieberman and the County Commission. What I will recount is backed up with documents.

For six agonizing years, I and many others pleaded with the County Commission and Michele Lieberman to address situations of animal abuse – they did not. One such situation involved Ms. Loren Cava, an elderly woman with mental problems. Her abuse of her dogs, however inadvertent it may have been, was well known to the Commission. As with other animal abuse cases, the County, over the course of many years, provided no remedy for these dogs. Instead, Ms. Cava was arrested and jailed – our County’s answer to the needs of an elderly, mentally troubled woman. The arrest of Ms. Cava did nothing to address the needs of the abused dogs in her care.

Another case of long-term animal abuse was an aged, female dog with life-threatening conditions that caused her severe pain and suffering. She was so ill that at least two veterinarians declared that she should be humanely euthanized. Ed Williams, who was at that time the Director of Animal Services, signed an affidavit supporting the humane euthanization of this dog. Michele Lieberman interfered and denied this dog a humane euthanization, thereby condemning the dog to continued abuse and suffering.

There were also many cats in this household who were not properly cared for. Even though there were fifty-six documented Animal Services visits to this house, many of these cats died due to lack of care, and others continued to suffer. Only this year, and after continuous community pressure, was this situation finalized. 

These were the most egregious situations that I’m aware of. They are examples of Michele Lieberman’s failure to honor the Alachua County Commission mission “to provide responsive service to citizens and responsible stewardship of county resources for current and future generations”. They evidence poor management of the Department of Animal Services.

The past cannot be silenced. For our future’s sake, and in accordance with the County’s published Vision, behavior must change in the following areas: self-evaluation, respect, and accountability. May this vision be realized.

Respectfully,

Adele Franson, Gainesville

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