Wild Life, Dogs, and cats
We'd like to take a moment to remind you that Florida is WILD and you should always be on alert, especially during the mating and rainy seasons, for wild things crossing your path. There are many displaced animals with all the new building going on in our area as well. Please keep your distance from the many wild things, including, and especially, gators and snakes. Use the link below to check out Florida's Top 10 Dangerous Animals...
https://wanderwisdom.com/travel-destinations/Most-Dangerous-Animals-in-Florida-Top-10
Read on for further information
On our neighborhood animals and rules that govern for their safety and ours:
PLCA is dedicated to protecting native wild animals in their natural environment. We need your help.
Please do not feed the squirrels on PLCA property. It can lead to unnatural and aggressive behaviour and lead to overpopulation that may cause them to get sick and die or require pest control that will destroy the animals.
When people feed squirrels
They quickly multiply and exceed their natural habitat capacity, creating an imbalance in the native ecology causing them to become sick and die.
Feeding squirrels can cause them to become dependent on humans and they won’t return to the wild.
Our drip lines in the gardens are being chewed through at an alarming rate because these animals are being fed food outside of their natural diet that causes excessive thirst.
The kindest thing you can do for these animals is admire them from afar.
You already know that PLCA
Is dedicated to protecting native wild animals in their natural environment and we, once again, need your help.
Please do not feed the alligators.
Fed alligators become aggressive and must be killed. Gators cannot be tamed and feeding them can result in the loss of a hand or worse.
Gators naturally avoid humans unless you interact with them. This will put you, small children and pets at risk. Once they lose their natural fear of humans, they must be destroyed.
Please do not feed or molest the alligators
It is against Florida state law and you will be prosecuted by order of Florida statute 372.667 and it will result in a $500 fine for the first offense.
The kindest thing you can do for these animals is admire them from afar.
Again, we need your help in keeping paradise wild.
Please do not feed the turtles
Ducks, waterfowl, fish, and birds. These animals lack the enzymes necessary to digest anything but their natural diets of small fish, native greens, and insects.
These animals have plenty of food
here in their native environment. Anything you feed in addition will actually result in obesity, preventing these animals from defending themselves. Birds have difficulty flying away from their natural predators and turtles can’t effectively hide in their shells.
These animals’ babies
Also suffer from your handouts. They lack proper nutrients that enable them to grow to their full potential and they will not learn to forage naturally. Bread is the equivalent of junk food to these creatures and will cause weight gain, disease, and loss of natural behavior.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE WILDLIFE. THEIR SURVIVAL COUNTS ON IT.
Pet complaints are on the rise in the office. To maintain the peace and harmony of our community, here’s a refresher course on the three biggest pet violations.
Please, please, please control
Your animal’s barking. It is a terrible nuisance when left undisciplined and definitely interferes with the peace and tranquility of the neighborhood. Many of you (you know who you are) need to consider the use of a bark collar. They’ve come a long way since the days of the electric shock and now offer a more friendly version that will spray citronella when the dog barks. That gives you the added benefit of mosquito control. Please consider this alternative if you can’t bring your dog’s barking under control. Ask your local pet store for assistance.
Please, please, please keep
Your pets on a short leash at all times when outside your unit. PLCA does not recommend the use of a retractable leash as it allows the pet to roam too far away from you for control. We’re naked; your pet has claws when he jumps up—get the picture???
AND MOST IMPORTANT
Please, please, please pick up your pet’s poop. It stinks. It attracts insects. It spreads disease. It’s just plain gross!!!
With your cooperation, we can remain a pet-friendly community without interfering with the tranquility of non-pet owners.
THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION, WOOF WOOF!!!
PLCA & the Florida fish & wildlife
Conservation commission recommend against allowing your cat outdoors. They compete with native predators and spread disease. Domestic cats are not part of the natural ecosystem.
Free-ranging cats prey upon both common and rare species of native wildlife in Florida. This includes rare species listed as threatened or endangered by state & federal governments. Animal behavior experts note that cats will hunt and kill even if well fed.
A single free-ranging cat
may kill 100 or more birds and mammals per year. Even cats with bells on their collars still manage to kill their fair share of native birds and mammals.
Recognize the impact that your cat may have on native wildlife and keep it indoors. Indoor cats live longer, stay healthier and do not kill native animals.
Never release cats into the wild. It is inhumane, harms our native wildlife, and is against the law.