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FWC Help | Return to Critter Questions | If the animal is a domestic or feral animal, such as dog, cat, horse, then these are best handled by the nearest Humane Society, Animal Services offices, or County Animal Control Office. If the situation involves a wild animal, such as a deer, bear, snake then The Commission permits approved nuisance wildlife trappers to respond to complaints and remove nuisance animals for a fee. In some counties and municipalities, animal control officers are licensed to remove nuisance critters. If you are having problems with wildlife destroying an agricultural crop, The FWC issues depredation permits to people who have problems. Contact the regional office nearest you. Wildlife laws: No license or permit is required for a property owner to take any mammal, except deer or bear, found damaging personal property, provided that they be taken only within the immediate locality where damage is occurring. This does not authorize the use of a gun and light at night, steel traps, or poison to take wildlife unless a Depredation Permit is obtained from the appropriate regional office of the Commission. Destructive or nuisance wildlife may be taken on another's property by any person or entity only at the property owner's request and if authorized by a permit issued by the Executive Director, except that family members of or persons with an employee-employer relationship with the property owner, may do so without a permit. The Executive Director may issue permits for the use of steel traps to take destructive furbearers at any time through an application made at any regional office of the Commission. Persons so authorized may sell the furs or carcasses of such animals provided they have a Trapping License and present a copy of their Steel Trap Permit to the licensed dealer or buyer. The dealer or buyer must retain a copy of such permit in his records. No furbearer or part thereof showing signs of being taken by a steel trap may be possessed, transported, or sold, unless directly traceable to a person authorized by the Commission to use such a device. The are also specific regulations governing the importation, transportation, sale, and possession of wild animals. Permits may be required. All fish and wildlife, including their nests, eggs and young, are protected from wanton destruction. The poisoning of wildlife is illegal because of its nondiscriminatory method of killing. However, these restrictions don't prohibit individuals from killing certain wildlife (exceptions include but are not limited to migratory birds, deer, bear and those listed as endangered, threatened or species of special concern), on their property in the immediate vicinity of the damage. Nuisance wildlife cannot, however, be killed by gun and light, steel traps, or poison. Many laws protect Florida's wildlife. You may help the Commission by reporting Wildlife law violators. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service has additional information about federal laws. |