Group blasts Osoyoos Mayor over intention to kill wildlife
Municipalities being asked to consider non-lethal options
August 27, 2013
VANCOUVER – Mayor of Osoyoos Stu Wells is in hot water with the local wildlife advocacy group, The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals (APFA) over his intention to cull BC wildlife.
Wells recently went on the record saying he intends to seek support from colleagues at the BC Union of Municipalities to support a motion calling on the province to allow a greater amount of wildlife killing as communities struggle to co-exist with wildlife.
APFA strongly opposes wildlife culls, claiming they are cruel, expensive, ineffective and don’t address the root problem.
“BC municipalities need a long-term wildlife strategy, not a license to kill,” says APFA Executive Director Lesley Fox. “The province needs to create a proper plan to help BC municipalities address wildlife issues. Our communities need funding and support for education programs to increase people’s tolerance and understanding of wildlife behaviour. Cities should also be encouraged to adopt by-laws to minimize attractants such as garbage and intentional feeding.”
APFA is asking the Mayor of Osoyoo’s to change his mind and instead pressure the Union of BC Municipalities to encourage the province to adopt a non-lethal urban wildlife plan. APFA is also urging the citizens of the province to engage their local politicians to support non-lethal options for wildlife control and to contact the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources, Steve Thomson, to take swift action on this issue.
Fox continues, “while wildlife issues are supposedly in provincial jurisdiction, municipalities have been burdened with that responsibility for many years. There are too many funding cuts and the lack of conservation officers means municipalities are on their own when it comes to potential problems.”
To provide assistance to communities looking for help to co-exist with urban wildlife, The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals is hosting their 3rd annual Living With Wildlife Conference in Vancouver on September 20 and are extending invitations to all area politicians to attend. The one-day conference is an opportunity to hear about new, successful coexistence programs and strategies from across North America.
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