During the Feb. 19 public comment period, Barbara Roth Holcomb of Panama City Beach told the Bay County Commission she has trapped 64 cats on her property in the past two years and urged the county to change how feral cats are handled. Roth Holcomb said feral animals are being removed from Bay County Animal Control and later released into neighborhoods by rescue and foster groups, and she described property and pet‑health problems she attributed to roaming cats.

“I had to take down all my decks and replace [them] with concrete to try to cat‑proof my property,” Roth Holcomb said, and added that her dog has suffered illness she links to cat feces in her yard. She also said she had been doxxed and that people had tampered with cameras on her property.

Commissioner Peace responded to the speaker during commissioner remarks, saying he has no authority to order releases of animals from county animal control without board action and that he had not directed releases. Peace offered to speak with Roth Holcomb after the meeting to review the facts and next steps.

No county action was taken during the meeting; commissioners asked staff and the speaker to discuss the concerns after the session to determine whether code changes or policy options should be pursued.