LUTZ, Fla. — It's a warning for all pet owners: be on the lookout for cane toads — they can be deadly to animals due to the toxins they release.
One Tampa man is pulling the trigger on safety in a Lutz community. During the day, Joshua Hughes owns a pressure washing business, but at night, he hunts cane toads.
"I was informed of a real serious invasion on this pond as far as cane toads," Hughes explained.
Dozens of toxic toads filled the pond around Encore Winter Quarters Pasco RV Resort.
"So, I bought a BB gun and a flashlight and just started looking," Hughes explained.
On his first night, Hughes killed 60 cane toads in one hour. Over the last three months, Hughes said he’s killed more than 100 of these dangerous cane toads. These cane toads are invasive in Florida. He said the more humane way to kill the toads is by freezing them, but he didn't have enough freezer space.
"I’ve counted them, there are about 120 that I’ve killed," Hughes added.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said cane toads are not protected in Florida and can be removed or humanely killed. This is because they secrete poison from glands on their back. The poison irritates humans and can kill pets.
Last month, an 11-year-old dog in Westchase was rushed to the vet after its owners found her seizing in the backyard after she was poisoned by a cane toad. That dog is lucky to be alive because animals can die within 15 minutes of ingesting the toad’s toxins.
FWC explained if you regularly cut your grass and keep it short, that can help make your property less attractive to cane toads.
You can report sightings online to help biologists track the toad.