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Resident tells council feral-animal waste is making him sick; staff to review animal-sanctuary ordinance vs. state rules
Summary
A Keystone Heights resident described persistent animal feces and related health impacts and said he received a city animal-cruelty notice after dispatching nuisance wildlife per Fish & Wildlife guidance; staff told council the city will review its animal-sanctuary ordinance and methods for enforcement and public notice.
During the public-comment period, resident Larry Thornton told the council that a neighbor's repeated feeding of feral cats and wildlife has left a 5-foot line of feces along his property and caused health problems for himself and his dog. Thornton said he has tried enforcement routes, contacted Fish & Wildlife, and, following FWC's nuisance-wildlife guidance, trapped and humanely dispatched animals; he said he later received an animal-cruelty notice from the city.
"This issue makes it impossible for me to be in the west portion of my yard without my throat swelling shut," Thornton told the council, describing severe allergies and ongoing sanitary concerns. He asked for help resolving the unsanitary condition.
City staff acknowledged the complaint and told council that a city employee had witnessed dispatching in public view and that the city issued a violation under the local animal-sanctuary ordinance. Staff also said there is tension between the municipal sanctuary ordinance and state Fish & Wildlife nuisance-wildlife policy, which permits property owners certain actions to address nuisance animals. Staff said they have not yet contacted Fish & Wildlife Service for a formal interpretation and recommended that the city manager review the ordinance to identify conflicts and potential changes.
Council members expressed sympathy for the resident and asked the city manager to review and recommend how the municipal code can be brought into alignment with state statute and enforcement practice to avoid future conflicts and help residents resolve public-health issues. One council member asked staff to draft suggested ordinance modifications and bring them back for council consideration so other citizens in similar situations would not have to endure the same problem.
The council did not take formal regulatory action at the meeting but asked staff to research the issue, consult with Fish & Wildlife as needed, and return with options for code changes or enforcement clarifications.
