UBCM asked to get B.C. government to amend regulation on exotic animals
Regional District of Nanaimo Electoral Area F (Coombs, Hilliers, Errington, Whiskey Creek, Meadowood) residents have had to deal with several exotic animals that escaped from their owners.
The animals included two serval cats two years ago and, earlier this year, a hybrid wolf-dog that was hunted down and reportedly shot dead.
Area F director Leanne Salter said the community was alarmed by this occurrence and raised concerns for the neighbourhood’s safety.
“What we’re getting are not wild animals anymore, just the hybrids,” Salter told the RDN board recently. “And when they’re hybrids, they’re really difficult to manage. You never really quite know what you’re going to get. People are really concerned about this wolf-dog that we had in Coombs. And there was no one could address it.”
Salter said she discussed the matter with conservation officers but because there is no legislation regarding this hybrid types of animals, they were not able to assist. It was called a wolf-dog from the start, Salter said but no one could confirm for sure whether it was indeed a wolf-dog, a wolf or a hybrid.
“It was called a wolf-dog and for that reason, there was no one that could assist us,” said Salter. “So, going forward, we need to have an agency that we can contact, who can help us, when this sort of things happen in our communities so they can be addressed.”
Salter filed a motion two years ago to ban serval cats as pets and other exotic animals. She said it did not include wolf hybrids.
“It’s an ongoing issue the same with the servals,” said Salter. “So, we do have to get a handle on it because I don’t know why they keep coming to Area F. I don’t know.”
Salter provided notice of a motion to the RDN board to direct staff to submit a resolution to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) to ask the provincial government to immediately amend either the Controlled Alien Species Regulation or the Wildlife Act to prohibit the breeding and keeping of all mixed Canis familiaris (domestic dog) and Canis lupus (wolf) hybrid wolfdogs, including F1-3 generations.
The board unanimously passed the motion.
