Officials are extending dog control in the rural Falkland and Salmon Valley areas, but are asking for respectful discussion on a topic that’s been highly contentious in the community.
In a unanimous vote, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) passed a bylaw to extend full dog service to the entire Electoral Area D, according to a press release. The area includes Falkland, Silver Creek, Ranchero, Deep Creek, Gardom Lake and the Salmon Valley.
Discussions of bylaw have been divisive. CSRD Board Chair Kevin Flynn pointed out that both he and Electoral Area D Director Rene Talbot have been targets of aggressive and threatening emails.
“We want input, but we want that to be civil. It has gone way beyond that line in some emails,” he said.
Full dog control includes requiring licences for dogs and provisions for dealing with aggressive dogs, as well as complaints of excessive barking or roaming dogs.
Currently, these requirements are only in place in a limited area of Ranchero.
The bylaw will be sent to the Inspector of Municipalities for approval, and could come into effect Jan. 1, 2022. The specific regulations of the bylaw are still being developed and will be brought back to the CSRD Board for approval in the fall.
The regulatory bylaw will not require dog licencing and will contain an exemption for livestock guardian dogs on farm properties.
The CSRD will also need to update its Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw to allow ticketing for infractions.
For the average property, the taxation cost to Electoral Area D residents is an estimated $24.37.
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