Dog owners who let their pets roam free at Sun Peaks may have to start training their pets to be on a leash.
The Sun Peaks municipal council approved two readings of an animal control bylaw at a council meeting on Monday, Aug. 15.
The proposed bylaw specifies areas in the community where a dog is expected to be on a leash or allowed to be off-leash.
Dog owners are required to keep their pets on a leash in the village core, on the Valley Trail and at the base of all ski areas.
All other areas are considered off-leash, but there is a caveat.
“People still have to be in control of their dogs,” said Byron Johnson, Sun Peaks’ chief administrative officer. This means that even in off-leash areas, dog owners are expected to carry a leash with them on walks to help them keep the dog under control if it ever gets unruly.
Dogs are also not allowed to run at large in areas outside of the dog owner’s property without a person’s control and supervision.
Other sections of the bylaw include provisions for proper care of animals, proper disposal of dog excrement, required clearance of dog houses from the property line, and rules for handling dangerous dogs. The bylaw states that cats are allowed subject to conditions within the municipality. It also states that no one is allowed to keep wild animals in the municipality.
The public may still provide their input on the proposed animal control bylaw at the next regular council meeting, scheduled on Monday, Sept. 19. The bylaw won’t be passed until at least October.
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