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Jaws loosened on dog control in Cawston and rural Keremeos area

Animal control will only be complaint driven going forward in Areas B and G.
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Dog control has gone back to complaint driven in Area B, G. (Black Press File photo)

There will be more bark than bite in some areas of the regional district regarding animal control.

George Bush, Area B (Cawston) director said animal control in his area will be complaint driven only going forward.

Regional District Okanagan-Simlkameen directors were to debate changes to the animal control bylaw last Thursday during a committee meeting, but Bush said that was delayed.

Although it’ll take a bit longer for politicians to hash things out, Bush said animal control bylaw officers have changed their ways recently.

The Review previously reported that regional district changed it’s animal control contractor in February 2018.

Related: Cawston director barks at dog bylaw enforcemen

Soon after reports started coming from residents in the Cawston area, a predominantly farming community, about dogs being picked up while running loose on farmland.

The new contractor SOSS Security Services in Penticton was performing active patrols in all areas of the RDOS (except Area H, rural Princeton, which doesn’t have a animal control bylaw).

Bush wrote in a New Year’s column in the Review about the issue stating he’d thought at the time the bylaw was passed that it was complaint driven.

“I have received a few complaints regarding the security company and how they are exercising their authority. I hope things will settle down in this area now, or maybe the community will have to look at different options when the contract is up,” he said.

Bush said Monday that although the board had not voted on changes to the contract, things had already changed and animal control was only complaint driven in Area B.

“It’s a formality at the board at this point,” he said.

Joining Area B in dropping active patrols opting for complaint driven response only is Area G, (Rural Keremeos/Hedley), Area C, (Rural Oliver), and Area A, (Rural Osoyoos).

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@TaraBowieBC
editor@keremeosreview.com

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