Each year, the Florida Animal Protection and Advocacy Association (FAPAA) recognizes leading agencies and individuals across Florida for their outstanding contributions to animal welfare. Last year, veterinarians Dr. Virginia Sayre and Dr. Ysabel Wright of the Palm Beach County Public Safety Department Animal Care and Control Division (PBCACC) received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Rising Star Award, respectively.
This year, PBCACC staff continue to be recognized for their dedication and impact, earning two additional honors: Animal Control Officer of the Year and Agency of the Year.
For 2026, Sgt. Gerry Cueto from PBCACC won Animal Control Officer of the Year. Sgt. Gerry Cueto has been a cornerstone of PBCACC for more than 10 years and has become the foundation of the Licensing and Enforcement section. Gerry collaborated with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office's new Animal Crimes Unit on a cruelty case involving a doggy day care. This effort took five months of intensive investigative work including locating witnesses, gathering veterinary reports, and working in tandem with law enforcement officers to conduct interviews.
His persistence in pursuing every lead ensures justice for animals and reflects great credit on Palm Beach County. “Sgt. Cueto exemplifies both the passion and the dedication needed to stand up for the animals of Palm Beach County," stated Jan Steele, PBCACC Director. “I am so proud of his achievements and commend him for this statewide acknowledgement."
PBCACC is so incredibly honored to be named Agency of the Year, an award voted on by peers from 62 municipal animal agencies and 16 humane societies across Florida. A strong focus on collaborating with the community, law enforcement, and local rescue organizations, made PBCACC the ideal candidate for this award.
As the only open-admission shelter in a county of more than 1.5 million residents, PBCACC consistently delivers results that improve animal welfare, public safety, and community engagement. Recent initiatives include placing all medically sound dogs and cats into foster homes during Hurricane Milton, launching the successful Doggy Day Out Ambassador Program, implementing veterinary advances to reduce illness in kennels, hosting targeted TNVR trapping events, and achieving a live release rate of more than 87 percent. These accomplishments are just a few of the reasons why PBCACC was selected as the FAPAA Agency of the Year.
“The staff of our facility all go above and beyond, with an incredible passion for saving animal lives," declared Director Steele. “In a time where many shelters are struggling for community support, Palm Beach County has stood behind us as we find more and more ways to save animal lives".