WHEREAS trapping is legal in rural BC without any signage or notification of the presence of trap lines, meaning that in areas shared by the general public and their pets off leash there have been cases of death or severe harm to pets due to trap lines, and concerns raised for the health and safety of the general public: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to investigate and legislate ways to prevent domestic animals from being further injured in traps such as Conibear; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that trap lines not be allowed in recreational areas close to communities, rural area developments and residential clusters.
Ministry of Forests, Lands Natural Resource Operations Given that urban interface areas are often the place where wild animals come into conflict with people, it is problematic to eliminate the use of traps in these areas; however, the provincial government remains committed to working with municipalities to reduce the risk to domestic animals. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations is actively reviewing trapping regulations to explore options for reducing or preventing inadvertent harm to domestic animals. British Columbia trappers are trained and certified to trap in a safe and humane manner through the Trappers Education Program, which is required for licensing in BC. The government is investigating the development of educational programs regarding the importance of signage in active trapping areas as part of our response to previous resolutions on trapping.