BOCA RATON, Fla. — Residents of Loggers' Run in west Boca Raton are voicing concerns about the recent handling of an iguana in their neighborhood.
Therese Serignese told WPTV she witnessed the incident and said it caused her great distress.
"I heard children screaming, yelling, 'Gun, gun, there's a man with a gun,'" Serignese said. "(There was) blood. He was shot. I couldn't tell exactly how many times, but on the right side of his head, his face."
Video of the incident shows a man carrying the bloody iguana by the tail and putting it in a garbage bag.
Palm Beach County Animal Control and Care Assistant Director David Walesky said they are investigating the situation to determine if the killing was done humanely. However, euthanizing iguanas is not illegal.
"Iguanas are an invasive species, you know, according to the state, Florida Fish and Wildlife (Conservation Commission)," Walesky said. "In general, residents, HOAs, neighborhoods are encouraged to remove invasive species because of the impact that they have on the environment and on native wildlife."
Serignese said she heard the man in the video may have been hired by her property manager to remove iguanas, but her concern is how the iguana was treated.
"It caused me great distress, great alarm, great fear," Serignese said.
WPTV tried to contact the property manager at Loggers' Run, but he declined to comment.