When touched, the toads produce a toxin called bufotoxin that acts to kill in just 15 minutes, according to the City of Naples<\/a>. The toxin is released from glands behind their eyes, according to Hillsborough County<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis can be fatal to pets,\u201d Magill said. \u201cProbably countless dogs every year get very sick, and many of them die in Florida because of their encounters with these toads.\u201d<\/p>\n Also known as the bufo or marine toad, the 6-9-inch-wide creature is native to Central and South America. It was first introduced to Florida and the U.S. in the 1930s<\/a>, according to the U.S. Geological Survey<\/a>. <\/p>\n The toads were meant to control beetles eating the sugar cane, a major Florida export, the Florida Museum<\/a> says. But those toads did not survive and the current population is believed to be the result of escapes and releases from importers in the 1950s. <\/p>\n They have also spread throughout the central and southern part of the Sunshine State, to Mississippi and Louisiana. <\/p>\n While the toads need moisture, they are adaptable and able to live in residential areas and are commonly found in yards, around buildings or near canals and ponds, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission<\/a> says.<\/p>\n With calls likened to a distant tractor or screech owl, cane toads breed year-round in standing water, streams, canals and ditches.<\/p>\n While they eat vegetation and insects, they can also consume small birds, other toads, frogs, lizards, small mammals and even snakes. <\/p>\n They may be attracted to pet food, as well. <\/p>\n \u201cNever leave pet food outside to avoid attracting cane toads and other animals,\u201d the commission instructs. <\/p>\n Pet owners can also ensure their furry loved ones are safe by having cane toads removed from their properties, ensuring their grass is cut regularly, filling any holes and trimming shrubs.<\/p>\n![\"Cane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-98092237.jpeg\")
Cane toads have been in the U.S. since the 1930s. The invasive species produces a toxin that can be fatal to pets (Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-23-at-3-48-02-PM-(2).png\")
This screenshot of a U.S. Geological Survey map shows where cane toads have been reported in the U.S. (USGS)<\/p>\n![\"Cane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-73714103.jpeg\")
Cane toads have calls that sound like screech owls or distant tractors (Getty Images)<\/p>\n