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Port Moody Council Moves to Ban Mobile Live Animal Programs and Petting Zoos
The city council of Port Moody, British Columbia, has decided to prohibit mobile live animal programs and petting zoos, a decision that has sparked a variety of responses from the community.
During a council meeting on Tuesday, city officials directed staff to formulate a comprehensive policy that would prevent these activities from occurring on both public and private property within the city limits. This marks Port Moody as the first municipality in Canada to execute such a ban.
Nadia Xenakis, a wild animal specialist from the BC SPCA, weighed in on the matter, emphasizing the uniqueness of the decision. “This is a really novel decision. Port Moody is the first municipality to pass a vote like this,” she noted. She highlighted that these mobile events typically cater to families, often featuring exotic animals brought in from abroad.
The proposed ban has garnered support from organizations like the Vancouver Humane Society. These advocates argue that live animal demonstrations pose significant risks not only to the welfare of the animals but also to public health and safety. Xenakis elaborated on these concerns, noting, “It’s incredibly hard to provide the five freedoms of animal welfare to wild animals in captivity, just generally, across the board, and then at these events specifically, there’s risk to their physical safety.”
Concerns Over Animal Handling
Xenakis expressed worries about the conditions surrounding these events. “They can be crawling on the floor. They can be mishandled. They’re not usually provided breaks when interacting with the public,” she explained. The environment at such gatherings tends to be loud and crowded, which can be distressing for the animals involved. Additionally, the logistics of transporting these animals to events remain largely unknown, raising further safety concerns.
Research cited by the BC SPCA highlights that there is minimal educational benefit derived from these programs, a viewpoint that is not universally accepted.
Mike Hopcraft, the owner of Wild Education BC—a rescue center focused on reptiles which also conducts mobile presentations—expressed his disappointment regarding the council’s decision. “Banning education, to me, is just wrong,” he remarked. Hopcraft argued that his organization does not exploit animals but instead aims to educate the public about them, thereby reducing the number of animals needing rescue. “That’s our big thing, education, and they want to stop that,” he added.
In the previous year, Wild Education BC cared for over 150 animals, including snakes, tortoises, and tarantulas, many of which interact with the public during educational presentations. “If city council gets their way and they ban these presentations, that takes away a huge portion of our income to take care of those animals,” Hopcraft lamented. He emphasized their position as the largest reptile rescue in Western Canada and the vital role they play in animal care.
Despite legal assurances that all their animals are permitted without special permits in British Columbia, Hopcraft acknowledged that not all should be kept as household pets. He voiced his fears about potential future restrictions impacting his organization’s ability to operate sustainably: “I am terrified,” he stated. “There could be a time very soon where everything we do is illegal, and then there’s the source of income gone for our animals, and then this rescue is gone.”
The BC SPCA hopes that Port Moody’s pioneering decision will inspire other municipalities and the provincial government to consider similar regulations governing mobile live animal programs and petting zoos across the region.
Source
globalnews.ca