JEN HAYNES
Boundary Invasive Species Society
When you buy a pet, whether it be a turtle, frog, fish, bird, snake, rabbit, cat or dog, you should be ready for the commitment that comes with being responsible for the care and well being of your new companion.
Some birds and turtles can live for decades, for example. Of course, sometimes circumstances change and you can no longer afford your pet or you find that you don’t have the time to take care of it properly.
If this happens to you, the number one thing to remember is, don’t let it loose!
Releasing your pets into the wild is not humane, ethical or responsible. In most cases your unwanted pet will starve or be killed by predators. Others, meanwhile, will thrive in their new environment and that can cause a chain reaction of problems.
When you introduce a non-native creature into the wild it can have drastic effects on biodiversity. Your pet could be an invasive species. Invasive species are the second biggest threat to biodiversity.
Gold fish, for example, can out compete native species of fish in our local waterways. Red-eared slider turtles and American bullfrogs can impact the habitat of the western painted turtle.Painted turtles are the only native pond turtle left in B.C. They are blue listed, which means that they are vulnerable to habitat loss.
Instead of letting your unwanted pets loose into the wild you can help protect our native habitats and biodiversity. You can contact the pet store where you purchased the pet and ask if they will take it back. You can see if any of your friends can give your pet a new home. You can contact the SPCA, zoos, game farms, aquariums or science centres to see if they will take your pet. In some cases, you may need to consider humane euthanasia by a veterinarian.
Like pets, you should never dump your aquarium plants into any body of water either. These plants can also have destructive impacts on biodiversity and the environment.
For more information on invasive species please contact the Boundary Invasive Species Society at info@boundaryinvasives.com, 250-446-2232, on Facebook or our website www.boundaryinvasives.com.
