City council has agreed to change the dates dogs are prohibited from Salmon Arm’s foreshore trail to better match bird nesting season.
At their March 25 meeting, mayor and council gave three readings to a bylaw amendment moving the prohibition period two weeks later in the season.
Currently, dogs are not allowed to use the main Salmon Arm Foreshore Raven Trail between April 15 and June 15. Naturalists Ted Hillary and Ed McDonald, along with biologist Di Witnar, recommended to the city that the prohibition be moved two weeks ahead to “better match the peak nesting period, based on field observations.”
The bylaw amendment moves the prohibition period so it ranges from May 1 to June 30.
Read more: 2016 - Temporary dog ban in effect at foreshore
Earlier this month, the city received an update on the use of the foreshore trail and compliance by dog owners who, when using the trail in the non-prohibition period, are required to have their dogs on a leash. Of the 120 dogs observed during surveys of the trail between June 21 and Aug. 28 last year, 26 were not in compliance – 12 were off leash while 14 were on leashes longer than the maximum two metres.
Monitoring was done both by Nature Centre summer students conducting the 47 surveys during a range of times, as well as by people reporting to the Shuswap Trail Report Hotline. The hotline received reports of 25 non-compliant dogs, compared to just one in 2017.
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Director of development services Kevin Pearson told council that the contract with the new animal control officer commits him to 22 hours per week. Pearson said monitoring the foreshore trail will remain a high priority for him.
Coun. Chad Eliason pointed to the increase in non-compliance.
“The increased off-leash is kind of concerning. Hopefully the increased monitoring will help get that back on track.”
Mayor Alan Harrison said he runs on the trail regularly and he estimates 15 to 20 per cent of users walk their dogs there. He said almost everyone has their dog on a leash and many people use the trail because they’re older with small dogs so a flat place is ideal.
For general information on trails go to www.shuswaptrailalliance.com, or email the Trail Report Hotline with any issues at trailreport@shuswaptrails.com.
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