Enforcement Ramps up for Wildlife Act Violations in Prince George

PRINCE GEORGE – Garbage bins overturned, trash dragged through the bushes, bear scat on your lawn, or even damage your property. With fall colours in full swing and winter fast approaching, you may have noticed the tell-tale signs of black bears in your neighbourhood.

In response to an increase of calls to the Conservation RAPP line, local conservation officer Sgt. Eamon McArthur says enforcement efforts will be ramped up by the use of “Attractant Audits” at homes where complaints of non-compliance with city by-laws and the wildlife act have been made.

“If you’re calling about your neighbour with their garbage can out the night before, the COs will be doing “attractant audits,” so that person can be fined under the wildlife act. And because we are so few, you might find yourself being spoken to, and possibly fined, by the by-law officers as well, because we are working in conjunction with them. We will be starting with tickets…. warnings, tickets, orders, and moving forward from there. If the bear’s behaviour is indicative of aggression or property damage, that’s when we would set the trap, and depending on the situation, we could end up euthanizing the bear.”

Sgt. Eamon McArthur