It is mating season for the highly poisonous cane toad, which means that, for South Florida residents, your pets may be more likely to come into contact with them. This presents not just the possibility of exposure but even the loss of your pet.

Owner and operator of Toad Busters Jeanine Tilford knows this better than anyone. A South Florida native who has worked for more than 25 years as a science teacher, animal educator, herpetologist, and veterinary technician, Tilford has seen the devastating effects that non-native wildlife can have on the state's ecosystem. This includes the loss of pets to cane toad toxins.

In 2015, she founded Toad Busters to help maintain their numbers and protect Florida residents' four-legged family members. She's also founded Pet Protect Fencing, which installs maintenance-free mesh barriers to block dangerous toads out of certain areas.

What Are Cane Toads?

The cane toad is an invasive species that has spread across South Florida. Though it generally does not threaten humans, it has become a nuisance to native wildlife and is dangerous to pets.

When provoked, a cane toad produces a toxin from two glands behind its shoulders. This toxin comprises 14 different compounds, including the potent 5-methoxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine.

Why Are They Dangerous?

Dogs will often try to chase or "play" with cane toads by licking, nudging, or picking them up in their mouth. This exposes your pet to a rapid-acting toxin that is absorbed in the membranes of the dog's mouth. This can cause symptoms ranging in severity from not just drooling to head shaking and crying but also loss of coordination, convulsions, and even death.

How Do Toad Busters Help Florida Residents?

Toad Busters is a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-approved company that collects poisonous cane toads and humanely euthanizes them per protocols set by the University of Florida Department of Ecology and Conservation. Toad Busters and their crews across South Florida collect the toads by hand, partly because chemicals and homemade remedies like ammonia are ineffective due to the toads' thick skin. These chemicals are also inhumane and harmful to native plants and animals.

By utilizing Toad Busters' services, they can come to your home and safely and humanely collect and remove cane toads from your property. They can also install mesh barrier fences to create the safest environment for your pet, made with Textilene® polyvinyl mesh woven in a basketweave pattern. As invasive species experts, they are also working on a product to protect pets and humans from the invasive New Guinea flatworm.

Customers who left Google reviews stated that Toad Busters had cleaned up their yards. Some went from seeing hundreds of toads to almost none and even slept better since they did not hear them calling or breeding near the house. Their expert services have worked to give clients not just peace of mind but also to keep their animals safe.

If you need cane toad removal or have questions about scheduling a visit, visit Toad Busters online.

We are in mating season for poisonous cane toads which means millions of poisonous toads are being born and pets are in danger - companies like Toad Busters are more important than ever. Jeannine founded Toad Busters 10 years ago when she was a science teacher and a single mom. She's created a multi-million-dollar enterprise collecting poisonous toads in Miami communities and throughout South Florida.

Her story and her toad-collecting business are very relevant for South Floridians. She recently created a patented product (coming soon) to protect pets - and humans - from another invasive species: The New Guinea flat worm.

Jeannine is a South Florida native who has worked for more than 25 years as an animal educator, invasive species specialist, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)-registered Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator. Here's her bio.