News for Florida animal advocates

It has become a depressingly predictable pattern in Florida: (1) cats who are allowed to roam outdoors go missing, (2) coyotes are spotted in the area, (3) trappers are hired to kill the coyotes.

On Tuesday, WMBB Ch. 13 news reported that traps have been set for coyotes in a community called The Glades in Panama City Beach. One of the main roads through the neighborhood is Coyote Pass. One resident of Coyote Pass told the TV reporter, “people here with small pets are very concerned about the problem.” But she admitted that she hadn’t actually seen any coyotes.

Panama City Beach Animal Control Officer Shane Williams said that they have received calls about coyotes on a nearby golf course. The calls weren’t about pets being attacked, merely that coyotes had been spotted. Officer Williams added, “There are a lot of really thick woods in this area… perfect habitat for them.”

Apparently, there’s not much for an animal control officer in Panama City Beach to do- no dogs running loose, no companion animals being neglected- because Officer Williams has time to trap wild animals that are not doing anything other than living in what is a “perfect” habitat for them. He told the TV reporter that he has located the coyotes den, and will be using snares to try to catch the two adults and two cubs that he believes live there. Because the State of Florida does not permit coyotes to be relocated, the animals who are trapped will be killed.

Please contact the Mayor of Panama City Beach and urge her to instruct animal control to abandon the cruel and unnecessary coyote trapping. Send a copy of your e-mail to Officer Williams. Contact:

Mayor Gayle Oberst
City of Panama City Beach
Phone: (850) 235-1541
E-mail: goberst@pcbgov.com

Scott Williams
Panama City Beach Animal Control
Phone: (850) 233-5100, ext. 2410
E-mail: swilliams@pcbgov.com

Read our previous post about a similar problem in the City of Parkland.

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