Oppose: An Act Relating to Taking of Bears (Florida)
H.B. 87
This bill would allow Florida residents to shoot black bears if they feel threatened or they feel their property is threatened by the bear.
Status
The Animal Legal Defense Fund opposes this bill.
Sponsors: State Rep. Jason Shoaf (R-7); State Sen. Corey Simon (R-3)
Introduction Date: November 29, 2023
If enacted, An Act Relating to Taking of Bears (H.B. 87) would allow Florida residents to shoot black bears without a permit if they claim to feel that their safety or their property is threatened by the bear. The vague language of the bill could lead to unregulated killing of black bears, and it would also create a public safety risk by allowing residents to shoot bears in urban and suburban areas.
This dangerous bill ignores humane alternatives, such as municipal trash collection and bear-proof trash management to minimize bear-human interactions.
Why is this law important? As recently as 2012, Florida black bears were classified as an endangered species. The last bear hunt took place in 2015, during which just under 300 bears were killed statewide by hunters. The number of bear casualties was so extreme that the hunt was halted after only two days. This bill could further devastate Florida’s bear population and lead to endangerment or even extinction.
For more information about animal protection legislation in Florida and opportunities to take action for animals, visit aldf.org/florida.
