JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This week, Florida Wildlife officials approved a bear hunt in Florida for the first time in ten years.

One of the controversial elements of the hunt is the use of dogs — and now, acase from seven years ago is proving to be relevant.

A cell phone video from the 2018 case was central to an animal cruelty investigation. It captures a cornered bear dropping from a tree into the midst of a pack of dogs during a hunt.

Once the bear lands on the ground, the pack of dogs attack and maul it. 

This footage was part of a case from seven years ago, in which the then Florida Attorney General, Pam Bondi, pursued charges of animal cruelty against nine hunters.

During a press conference at the time, Bondi said, “Florida black bears were being baited and taken by a group that trained hunting dogs.”

Humane World for Animals, previously recognized as the Humane Society, shared a clip of the video online to emphasize what they view as the cruelty inherent in using dogs for bear hunting.

On Wednesday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission gave unanimous approval to a bear hunt in Florida, sanctioning the use of dogs, baiting, and archery.

Other people who oppose a Florida bear hunt, such as Adam Sugalski of Jacksonville, agree.

“It is animal cruelty. But somehow now, that’s a method of hunting now in Florida that they’re going to be using,” Sugalski told First Coast News. 

With the now-approved dog hunt in Florida, dogs will be allowed in the hunt starting in 2027.

Some hunters say the way those hunters used dogs in the 2018 case was not typical.

The Vice President of the Florida State Dog Hunters Association commented to the FWC Commission, “When conducted by genuine sportsmen, dog hunting is approached with discipline, strong ethics, and a profound dedication to conservation.”

Concerning the decision to incorporate dogs in a bear hunt, the FWC website notes:  Harvesting bears using dogs permits hunters to be more discerning about which bear they take, as they have more time to observe the bear while it remains in a tree.

As for that 2018 case, most of those who were arrested plead guilty and were sentenced to probation. 

In Florida, dogs are also allowed when hunting for deer, hog, foxes or coyotes.