NEWS

Eastpoint peacock owner gets citation

Nada Hassanein
Democrat staff writer
Bob and Edda Allen have tended to their peacocks in Eastpoint for 20 years.

Twenty years ago, Bob Allen gave his wife, Edda, a bit of a special birthday gift: a couple of peacocks.

Since then the couple has raised the wild birds, whose colorful feathers grace the lawns of the Sportsman Lodge, the vacation spot they own in Eastpoint. Bob said there are about 40 peacocks roaming around the area.

But one neighbor is less than impressed about the preening, prancing and prideful peacocks and has started complaining about the birds. On April 4, Franklin County Animal Control issued Edda Allen a $50 citation. The citation says the peacocks were "causing a ruckus around people's house."

The Allens have lived on the Apalachicola Bay for 43 years. Bob said this was the first time someone has formally issued a complaint about the peacocks.

"They're wild birds, they're not supposed to be penned up. ... They're born free. They're in an 877-acre estuary," Bob said. Sometimes visitors to the lodge can see baby peacocks climbing the trees in the area, Bob said. He keeps one baby for the mother peacock and gives away the rest. Bob says he's given away more than 200 baby peacocks over the years.

"They're a free bird — I mean, that's all I can say. If I was taming a bunch of bears, that would be one thing," he said.

Franklin County Animal Services citation.

Reach Nada Hassanein at nhassanein@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @nhassanein_.