View Royal resident Kathleen Burton left her house for work last Thursday morning and noticed something unusual on a neighbourB次元官网网址檚 lawn.
It was a pile of what looked like crab traps with a sign of some kind on them.
Were they being given away wholesale to the first person who wants them? Were they for sale? What exactly was happening?
Despite not needing any traps herself, her curiosity got the better of her and she pulled over for a look.
B次元官网网址淲hoever is catching these squirrels can stop!B次元官网网址� read the sign attached to one of the cages, B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址� they didnB次元官网网址檛 do anything to you and arenB次元官网网址檛 hurting ANYONE.B次元官网网址�
The sign writer also noted that whomever was placing the traps was breaking View Royal bylaws by doing so.
Burton had no idea whether it was legal or not for people to trap wild animals, she said, but wanted to find out. She, too, disagrees with the practice.
B次元官网网址淓ven if they are allowed to do it, I donB次元官网网址檛 like it,B次元官网网址� she said. She called the Town of View Royal, who directed her to the Capital Regional District, who told her to contact the B.C. Ministry of EnvironmentB次元官网网址檚 Conservation Officer Service.
B次元官网网址淢y immediate thought was, B次元官网网址榃hat are these people going to do with them if they catch them?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said. She followed that up with the question, B次元官网网址淲hat if they caught a family cat?B次元官网网址�
While sheB次元官网网址檚 no expert, Burton said, B次元官网网址渂ased on the size of the cages, I think a racoon, cat or even a small dog could easily be confined and I think it would be a traumatic event for any critter.B次元官网网址�
Such box traps, however, are perfectly legal, according to regional conservation officer Peter Pauwels, if they are set on the property of the person who set them. An exception would be if the municipality has a specific bylaw prohibiting trapping, but none of the West Shore municipalities have such a bylaw.
B次元官网网址淚f they are found in parks or public spaces, there would certainly be some sort of action triggered,B次元官网网址� Pauwels said, noting that such situations happen infrequently. B次元官网网址淚f theyB次元官网网址檙e on private property, theyB次元官网网址檙e perfectly okay.B次元官网网址�
What happens to the animals after they are trapped is a different story, and depends on their species, he said.
Grey squirrels, for example, B次元官网网址渁re an introduced species, and therefore must be immediately released on site if they are found in a cage or immediately, humanely euthanized,B次元官网网址� Pauwels said. B次元官网网址淎 lot of people think they can just take them out to Sooke or wherever and release them, but thatB次元官网网址檚 not allowed.B次元官网网址�
Doing so in that case would be introducing a non-native species to another ecosystem.
Pauwels added heB次元官网网址檚 unaware of any issues arising with unsuspecting neighbourhood pets being caught in the traps.
Anyone who finds traps in a public area or wonders about trap restrictions and requirements can call the B.C. Conservation Call Centre at 1-800-663-9453.
mdavies@goldstreamgazette.com
