LAKELAND, Fla. — A Polk County rescue organization is scrambling to find a new facility to house dozens of pit bulls.
In the last two years, Polk County Bully Project has rescued 1,400 pit bulls and “bully breeds,” from animal control, that would otherwise be killed.
“Our mission is to assist Polk County Animal Control and pulling to rescue the dogs that are deemed unadoptable there,” Polk County Bully Project co-founder Angela Lorio said.
Angela Lorio and Shannon Medina started the Lakeland nonprofit to change the stigma surrounding dogs labeled as "bully breeds" and to find forever homes for this misunderstood breed. The work being done to save these dogs is now in jeopardy.
“Our lease will come to term in November and our building has been sold so we need to relocate by then,” Lorio said.
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Their current facility is over capacity and finding a suitable space to house 20 or more dogs has been an impossible task.
“We’ve been scrambling for the last couple of months. Looking feverishly for a location that we can have a play yard. We can maybe double our rescue space if we can house 50 dogs instead of just 24,” said Polk County Bully Project co-founder Shannon Medina said.
Without a new building, the organization would have to stop rescuing pit bulls. This would be a major setback to their goal of reducing euthanasia rates in Polk County. Community support is what has kept the nonprofit operating and they’re counting on you once more.
“We go back to the community, and we ask for help because we don’t know, that one person that has property sitting, or can offer some support to what our plight is right now,” Medina said.
If you have any good leads, contact Polk County Bully Project.
