Most dogs and cats are still welcome, but the elephants will have to go!

Noah would have a real problem bringing the ark to shore in Rupert if a couple of new bylaws come into effect.

The city of Prince Rupert turned its attention to the animal kingdom this past week, with a number of proposed bylaws that will reign in the current concern over roaming dogs, feral cats and a previously undeclared worry over elephants and their fellow travelers in the circus.

The city has outlined new rules and licensing requirements for pet owners regarding their pets and created a couple of new zones for dogs to roam off leash, all in a bid to get a bit of a handle on the leash on the escalating calls for the banning breeds and holding pet owners more accountable for their pets behavior (and vice versa we assume).

Rupertites can browse through the different bylaw components from the city's website.

And while the bulk of the interest will be those changes for the world of domestic pets there is also a change in attitude towards exotic animals, with the city providing a lengthy list of exotic and non domesticated animals it would see banned from the city.

From Apes to porcupines, walruses to whales and many, many more, none shall be setting up homesteading rights on Kaien Island should the bylaws be approved at the November 26th Council meeting.

For those with a taste for the exotic, you can scan the city's directives from the website, 21 pages of possibilities to see if your potential pet gets the seal (though seals are banned by the way) of approval

An indirect casualty of the new laws would be the traveling circus that arrives in town once a year; if it were to travel to the north coast again it would have to leave the elephants outside of the city limits.

Perhaps they can spend some time on the outskirts of town and chat with the deer that still will no doubt enjoy the freedom of the city, as they have for so many years.

The Daily News has full details on both proposed bylaws in the Friday edition of the paper. We recommend playing The Rover's The Unicorn as you read along...

New laws call for cat licences, dog fines
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, November 16, 2007

Pages one and three

The city's proposed animal control bylaw could limit the number of cats and dogs people can own, require signs for "dangerous dogs" and increase licence fees.

The public got a first look at the bylaw on Tuesday night. Council gave it two readings and the city is looking to get feedback from the public.

"We urge everybody to have a look on the website and it will be available at city hall in hard copy," said acting mayor Joy Thorkelson.

"It certainly is going to be controversial because we haven't done anything like this before."
Coun. Nelson Kinney said the bylaws have to do with the protection of children and adults, and was developed following a number of complaints about dangerous animals.

"People should go over all of this before they make a decision against or for," he said. "This is very important for our kids and our mail people."

The bylaw is available on the city's website and people can comment on the website or attend the meeting Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. at city hall to provide their views.

To start with, the bylaw limits the number of cats and dogs a person can own to three, and under the new bylaw both dogs and cats shall be licenced.

Annual licence fees are also increasing by as much as 50 per cent, with a lesser fee for spayed or neutered animals.

If a person currently has more than three animals, their animals will be grandfathered in as exceptions, however in future no new exemptions will be granted. Rather, anyone requiring a licence for more than three cats and/or dogs will have to apply for a kennel licence.

The bylaw also includes a section of prevention of cruelty that allows the bylaw officer to take action against people mistreating animals.

Under the bylaw, all animals shall be kept with suitable water and food, in a clean environment with the opportunity for daily exercise. Choke chains will not be allowed and people will not be able to keep an animal enclosed without adequate ventilation - for example in a car in the summer with the windows rolled up.

The bylaw provides a much more comprehensive regulatory environment for dogs, including regulations for both vicious dogs and some specific breeds.

Under the new bylaw, dogs must be on leashes unless they are in either Moresby Park or McClymount Park, newly-designated off-leash areas. In addition, people out in public spaces with their dogs will have to carry a baggy to pick up excrement.

Anyone who owns either a vicious or restricted dog will have to meet guidelines for containing the animal as well as posting signage to inform the public.

The bylaw defines vicious dogs as any dog that, according to municipal records, has killed or injured a person or another animal or aggressively pursued or harassed a person. A restricted dog includes the following breeds - pit bull, Italian mastiffs, Argentinean dogo, Fila Brasileiro among other variations.

The bylaw officer has to keep impounded animals for three days after which they can offer it for sale, adoption, transfer to an animal shelter or euthanize the animal.

For a full copy of the bylaw, visit www.princerupert.ca.

Elephants may have to pack trunk under rules
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, November 16, 2007

Pages one and three

The city's new animal control bylaw will no longer allow exotic animals in the city, and effectively outlaw circus performances.

The public is invited to comment on the proposed bylaw at the next public council meeting, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.

However, not every council member was sure how the outlawing of exotic animals and circuses would work.

"I do have a comment in regards to circuses, carnivals, live shows and performances of animals. When we were discussing this bylaw, it certainly was not my intent to stop any business from coming in to town," said Coun. Kathy Bedard.

A circus has visited Prince Rupert every year for the past number of years, with a show that includes performances by elephants. Under the proposed bylaw, that would end.

"My concern was more around the personal ownership of exotic animals rather than circuses. If I have concerns, it's around that," she said.

Coun. Nelson Kinney replied that other municipalities have banned circuses and travelling animal shows.

"All over Vancouver and in various places, they have stopped the circuses from coming to town with their animals. It's has to do with cruelty, as they say," said Kinney.

Coun. Sheila Gordon-Payne wanted to know what people would do if they already owned an exotic animal - would they be required to give it up?

"I would like, if our staff was able, to give some thought with the process of this bylaw if we adopt it, so we don't pass it and have all kinds of problems after," said Coun. Sheila Gordon-Payne.

"I want to know what I do if I already own an ant eater. There will be exotic animals in our community and I would like to know how we would address that."

Coun. Tony Briglio stressed he did not want to see the bylaw sit on a shelf gathering dust.
"In terms of any bylaw, it really falls back on the ability to enforce it," he said.

Animals listed under exotic species included non-domesticated animals such as alligators, apes, bats and bears, beavers, porcupines, wolves, raccoons, venomous snakes, boas and pythons, venomous turtles, frogs and lizards, seals and walrus elephants whales dolphins, among many others.

One species listed that has been offered for sale within city limits includes hedgehogs.