Animal Control

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 The Village currently has a Dog Control Bylaw and related complaints can be taken by the Village office Monday to Friday 9:00 – 4:00 in person at our offices at 826 Okanagan Avenue and by phone on  250 679 3238.

Complaints can also be faxed to 250 679 3070 or e-mailed to chase@chasebc.ca.

Please ensure that all written complaints include a name, address, phone number, relationship to the property or individual that you are making the complaint about, and the issue.  Should the complaint be made in print, we may wish to call and confirm information, or ask further questions regarding the issue. 

ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS WILL NOT BE TAKEN. 

• BCSPCA Shuswap branch
• Responsible Rescues
• Bear Aware

As people and wildlife, such as bears, continue to share space throughout Chase, it is important to learn how to reduce the risk of human-bear conflict. Mismanaged garbage is one of the main reasons that bears will enter neighbourhoods. It is normal for bears to travel through our community to access natural food sources or relocate to their natural home range. However, when bears begin to utilize human-provided food sources in a community, it creates the potential for human-bear conflict.

By addressing the source of human-bear conflicts, the risks to human safety, damage to private property and the number of bears destroyed can be minimized. Improperly managed and unsecured garbage is an easily accessible food source. Removing access to these attractants is key to preventing human-bear conflicts. Mismanaged bear attractants around our homes can unintentionally attract bears to our neighbourhoods as they attempt to locate food sources. Bears have a powerful sense of smell that can pick up a scent from kilometres away.

You can help keep our community and local bear populations safe by:

• Keeping pet food and containers indoors.
• Keeping your barbecue clean.
• Removing bird feeders from May to November and cleaning up any spilled bird seed.
• Picking fruit from trees as soon as it ripens and consider removing any unwanted fruit trees.
• Managing back yard composters properly and not composting animal products, such as meats, greases and dairy.

Properly manage garbage and recycling by following the Village’s Solid Waste and Recyclables Bylaw, which states that:

• Solid waste and recycling containers must be readily accessible for emptying between the hours of 7:00 am and 4:00 pm on the day of collection.
• Solid waste and recycling containers must be removed from the collection area by 7:00 pm on the day of collection and stored on private property in a safe manner.

If you face barriers to storing your solid waste carts in a wildlife-proof enclosure, consider:

• Storing meat and strong-smelling food scraps in the freezer or in an airtight container and transfer them to your cart on collection day.
• Use a flat hook tie-down strap to secure the cart lid down and secure the cart to a stationary object.
• Ensure carts are stored with lids closed at all times.

Feeding bears, even unintentionally, is also against the law in BC, under the British Columbia Wildlife Act.

Report all bear sightings and human-wildlife interactions to the BC Conservation Officer Service by calling 1 877 952 7277.

For more information about the British Columbia Bear Smart program, please visit Bear Smart Community Program - Province of British Columbia.

As part of the Village’s efforts to help residents get involved in small-scale domestic food production, residents can now keep up to four (4) hens in your backyard in some residential areas. There are several important rules you will need to comply with in order to keep a backyard coop from being a nuisance for your neighbours, including:

• A maximum of four (4) hens per parcel in permitted residential areas
• Roosters are not allowed in residential areas
• Ducks, turkeys, or other fowl are not allowed in residential areas
• Eggs, meat, and manure from backyard hens in residential areas cannot be used for commercial purposes
• The slaughtering of hens on the property is not allowed in residential areas

Steps to keeping backyard hens

There are four steps to follow to keep hens in your backyard:

1. Review the Village’s Zoning Bylaw Map to see if you qualify to keep hens.
2. Learn how to care for hens
3. Get a British Columbia Premises ID (BCPID) registration number
4. Apply for a Backyard Hens Permit with the Village

Review the Village’s Zoning Bylaw Map to see if you qualify to keep hens. Lots must be greater than 550 m² and permitted zones include:

• Low Density Residential (R1)
• Low Density – Small Lot Residential (R1A)
• Medium Density Residential (R2)
• Limited Medium Density Residential (R2A)
• Recreational Residential (R5)

Section 4.15 of the Village’s Zoning Bylaw sets out the requirements for keeping backyard hens, including the minimum lot size and coop location details.

Some of the provisions include: 

• The applicant must be the owner of the lot and reside on the lot, or reside on the lot and have written consent from the owner
• Each hen must be provided with food, water, light, ventilation, and care, sufficient to maintain the hen in good health
• A coop and attached outdoor hen enclosure must be provided on the lot with at least 0.5 m² (4.3 square feet) of interior coop floor area and at last 1.0 m² (10.8 square feet) of outdoor hen enclosure per hen
• The coop must be situated at least 3 metres (9.84 feet) from the rear and side lot line and at least 3 metres (9.84 feet) from any dwelling unit
• The coop must be no more than 10 m² in floor area and 2 metres in height
• Each hen must be provided with its own nest box and perch that is at least 15 cm (6 inches long) within a coop
• The coop and outdoor hen enclosure must be secured from sunset to sunrise
• The coop and outdoor hen enclosure must be situated in a back yard with a continuous fence that is in accordance with Section 4.10 Fences of the Zoning Bylaw
• Feed must be stored within a fully enclosed container and any leftover feed must be removed in a timely manner
• Manure produced by hens must be stored within a fully enclosed container, with no more than 0.08 m3 [2.8 cubic feet] of manure stored on the lot at a time
• Permit holders must immediately consult a licensed veterinarian if a hen becomes infected with an infectious or communicable disease

Next, you should read the following hen keeping information, which provide an overview of considerations for keeping hens:

• Backyard Hens Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (see below)
• Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 892-2022 (Backyard Hens)
• BC SPCA: Thinking of Keeping Backyard Chickens?
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency: How to Prevent and Detect Disease in Backyard Flocks and Pet Birds
• District of Saanich – Hen Basics

A British Columbia Premises ID (BCPID) is a unique nine-character code assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture to properties who intend to keep livestock or poultry in the province. All Premises ID numbers start with BC (for example: BC449GP7N). There is no financial cost to register and obtain your premises ID number with the Ministry.

There are five options for submitting your Premises Registration:

1. Mail your registration to: BCPID, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, 1767 Angus Campbell Road, Abbotsford, BC V3G 2M3
2. Email a scanned copy of your registration to: BCPID@gov.bc.ca
3. Fax your registration to: 604 556 3030
4. Drop off your registration at any BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food office.
5. Apply online at www.gov.bc.ca/premisesprogram

Once you receive your unique nine-character code from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, you will then use that ID number to register your hens with the Village.

After you review the backyard hen guide documents and bylaw regulations, and receive your BCPID number, you can register your property to keep hens with the Village of Chase.