CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Two hundred seventy-seven animals — including around a hundred dogs — are closer to finding their new homes as Clay County Emergency Management prepares them for adoption.
The animals were rescued from a home on Old Jennings Road in October.
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”I just thought they had a family farm,” neighbor Shane Plyler said. “The animals have been there as long as I can remember. Always hearing pigs squealing, always hearing the rooster crowing.”
Action News Jax previously uncovered records of violations on the property. The homeowner had multiple warnings from code enforcement and had accumulated nearly $300,000 in fines.
In October, a judge ordered that the homeowner could no longer have animals on the property.
The animals were since turned over to the county, and are staying in barns at the Clay County Fairgrounds.
On Wednesday, the county opened up a preregistration link to prospective pet owners. Emergency Management Director John Ward said around 50 people had already preregistered Wednesday afternoon. Pre-registration closes Friday at 4 p.m.
”We really stress the fact that it really doesn’t matter if I register at 8:01 this morning or 3:59 on Friday. All those folks are gonna be randomized via number, so it doesn’t matter,” Ward said of the order in which prospective pet owners will get to see the animals.
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The animals have been through a lot, Ward says, and the county will carefully screen potential pet owners, asking if they’re ever surrendered a pet before and if they have a veterinarian.
Plyler says he’s relieved the animals are in good hands.
“I’m glad for the animals’ sake that they’re gonna get better care than what they had before,” Plyler said.
He says there are good people in Clay County, and is confident the pets will find loving homes.