It is illegal to let dogs chase wildlife under provincial law in British Columbia.
And with very good, real life reasons — and yet people continue to do it.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service said this week it levied a $345 fine against a pet owner who let their dog chase and attack a deer near Naramata in the Okanagan. The deer died of its injuries.
But then on Tuesday night, the owner of a Brindle coloured Boxer let the dog chase a cow moose, also in the Okanagan. The moose ended up tangled in a orchard fence.
Conservation Officers were able to cut the “distressed moose free,” but the animal later died, officials said.
“Dogs chasing wildlife can cause injury, stress, exhaustion and death for the animal being pursued,” the conservation service said in a Facebook post Wednesday. “There is also the danger that deer and moose may run onto a roadway and cause a traffic accident.”
A deer & moose were chased & attacked by dogs in separate incidents in the #Okanagan. The owner was fined $345 in the incident involving the deer, which died. CO's are investigating the incident involving the moose, which also died. For more info: https://t.co/of4cKWQvXZ #RAPP pic.twitter.com/xvqk4YWyvi
— BC CO Service (@_BCCOS) July 8, 2020
The moose incident is under investigation and officials are looking for tips.
Meantime, they wildlife officers are reminding officers to keep their dogs leased — for their safety and for the sake of wildlife.
