Legalize Bear Shepherding in BC
%u201CBear Shepherding uses Karelian Bear Dogs to teach problem bears. The dogs are used to chase the bear back to the forest, a safe distance away from the human space. Then the dogs are called off. The bear learns to associate human settlements with being harassed. They learn to recognize our boundary and as a result the bears life is saved.
We know that the Bear Shepherding program works: it is used successfully in places like Alberta, Manitoba, Utah, Montana, and Washington.
Section 78 of the B.C. Wildlife Act makes it illegal to chase wildlife with dogs, unless you are hunting. We would like to amend the act to allow the use of dogs by Conservation Officers, who work for the government. Currently bear shepherding is not allowed in this province, the bears are destroyed instead. Clearly, this law needs to change.
Problem bears are almost always destroyed. Approximately 1,000 black bears and 50 grizzlies are killed every year in British Columbia this number does not include bears that are hunted for sport or killed on the roads.
%u201CBear Shepherding uses Karelian Bear Dogs to teach problem bears. The dogs are used to chase the bear back to the forest, a safe distance away from the human space. Then the dogs are called off. The bear learns to associate human settlements with being harassed. They learn to recognize our boundary and as a result the bears life is saved.
We know that the Bear Shepherding program works: it is used successfully in places like Alberta, Manitoba, Utah, Montana, and Washington.
Section 78 of the B.C. Wildlife Act makes it illegal to chase wildlife with dogs, unless you are hunting. We would like to amend the act to allow the use of dogs by Conservation Officers, who work for the government. Currently bear shepherding is not allowed in this province, the bears are destroyed instead. Clearly, this law needs to change.
Problem bears are almost always destroyed. Approximately 1,000 black bears and 50 grizzlies are killed every year in British Columbia this number does not include bears that are hunted for sport or killed on the roads.
1. Current non-lethal methods of controlling problem bears, such as the Bear Smart public education initiative and bear relocation, are insufficient, as evidenced by the approximately 1,000 bears destroyed in British Columbia each year;
2. Karelian Bear Dog teams have successfully shepherded bears in various North American locations a minimum of 200 times, reducing human-bear conflict by as much as 23%, and saving the lives of countless bears;
3. And, Bear Shepherding is endorsed by Parks Canada and provincial government agents in Alberta and Manitoba;
Therefore, your petitioners respectfully request that the Honourable House amends section 78 of the Wildlife Act to permit trained Karelian Bear Dog teams to perform Bear Shepherding on problem bears.
Thank you for reading our petition and for taking action to help save the bears of British Columbia.
The pressure on open land is increasing. Poaching,new land development is putting all animals especially bears in a situation of more human contact with dire consequences. It is the people who live on the land to perserve the land and its animals. Using these dogs would decrease people being attacked and the bear being killed. You should enact a law of buffer zones where development meets open land.
If the dogs can prevent the bears from being destroyed, let them do their job!
I think the dogs would be very helpful to humans and wildlife.
I saw these bears and listened to a very informative talk at a Wolf sanctuary in the Rockies last summer and realised this is an amazing idea to help the bears to realise it is not safe to come close to humans. Its a shame that it is not more publicised
Something must be done to save having to destroy bears because they are a problem TO US! This seems like a natural and effective way to educate the bears. It has to be better that just killing our problems off. Teratory boundries are a natural way in the wild, if we can not defend our place then using a harmless way through dogs to do it seems the perfect solution.
ALLOW BEAR SHEPHERDING IN ORDER TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THE BEARS.
i have met these dogs & they are also wonderfully friendly & personable animals with obvious intelligence & stable behavioural traits.
We should learn to share the earth with its wildlife. They belong here just as much as we do, and if there are humane ways to deal with wildlife, it is the right thing to do.
Please legalize the Section 78 for the sake of the bears and other wild animals. We ALL should care and take action, not just talking until its to late. The animals are as much worth as we are.
How about dumass politician shepherding? Back under the rocks where they came from. A simple ammendment would be suffice methinks
Our wildlife zones are diminishing due to development and recreational use and the human lifestyle is impacting the bear’s natural feeding habits and behaviour, therefor I believe that it is our responsibility to find a way to coexist with the bears in a way that doesn’t just destroy them when they become accustomed to our influences. The Karelian Bear Dogs have a long history of success in a non-threatening manner and they ensure that our contact with the bears remains limited to ensure that the bears’ natural instinct and behaviours are maintained and most importantly, that they remain alive and well.
Your country is beautiful and its wildlife too. I would love to see an alternative strategy used to killing pest native creatures. If this is a viable alternative then i say at least try it.
It is irresponsible of our government to condone the killing of animals when their population sizes are unknown. Bear shepherding is a viable alternative, and the government owes it to the residents of British Columbia to avoid the senseless massacre of our province's natural wildlife when other options are available.
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This is a ridiculous law. It is illegal to shepherd bears because it is considered harrassment and yet it is legal to kill them once they have become a nusaince, a reality that is caused by OUR negligence, not theres. Sheperding should be legalized with the proper restrictions to ensure that it is a controlled and monitored practise used only for the preservation of wildlife. Eistien defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It's time to change.
My girlfriend and I are avid users of the great Canadian outdoors. We have encountered bears in our travels and believe the use of Karelian Bear Dogs would help us and other travelers feel safe and confident in the backcountry. We know these dogs do a more than adequate job of keeping bears at bay in a safe, humane manner. Please move this legislature forward. Thank you.
There is no good reason not to allow this strategy of shepherding Bears and at the same time protecting people. It is win, win.
Seems kind of stupid that you can harass an animal with dogs just before you kill it but not to save its life. We are way behind the times here. I have seen how these dogs work and think it is great.
Please give this program a chance to save lives!!!
To all whom it my concern. We have the capacity to make logical decisions, and the knowledge to take educated action, on behalf of the whole planet. I would like to suggest that we take on a more humanitarioan, humble approach to how we deal with the creatures we share this earth with. Why do we have to play god ??? There are so many other solutions now, to the problems that essentially were created by us... Please, work with environmentalist, work with people who know how to deal with this situation with care, work with animal rights activists. Thank you, Sincerely, Natalie Larose.
Dear Sirs/Ms of the Legislative Assembly of B.C., Please consider an amendment to section 78 of the B.C Wildlife act to allow bear shepherding as described above. Though we are top predator on this planet, this does not give us the right to extirpate another species. As our own habitat needs increase we will encroach further and further into the habitat of wild creatures. We need to learn how to live with and around them. Killing them off not only upsets nature's balance, it lessens our own world. Karelian bear dogs are bred to chase bears, teaching them to avoid inhabited areas. The program has met with success elsewhere; why must we always be on the trailing edge of alternate methods of conservation, when we live in arguably the most beautiful place on earth? Respectfully, Trish Boileau, Kelowna, B.C.
We need you to amend Section78 of the BC Wildlife act. We need to save the bears, it can be done with your help.
Pleace giv a Chance! This is good from the nature! I hope the bears and the wolf have a Chance for Life! Thank you! I Love Canada and the Nature Bye Sven from Switzerland
This is a GOOD program - I live in the Crowsnest Pass, where the presence and training of these wonderful dogs has much decreased the incidents of bear-human encounters and has no doubt saved lives - bears AND humans.
This one is a no-brainer, Even if it's regulated, it is going to be a big help I'm totally for it
Please legalize Bear Shepherding. Everywhere in the world we must all do everything we can to protect endangered species and all animals. With the power to destroy comes the responsibility not to.
As a resident of a National Park I regulary see human/bear interactions and have seen bear dogs used to condition bears - they save bears lives!
I am sure that Karelian Bear Dogs can work well. No more unnecessary shooting of bears!
It is obvious this law needs to be changed. Please give shepherding a chance to save our wildlife.
It's time to change our behaviour to no dead bears unless necessary. Shepherding by dogs is the answer.
