A family living on Enderby farmland is in a bind due to more aggressive coyotes this mating season, and resulting bylaw visits that have left their guard dogs muzzled and their livestock exposed.
Danielle Smith91裸聊视频檚 family of four has lived in the Back Enderby and Old Salmon Arm Road area for the past four years. Their property has farmland classification but is also next to residential homes.
Farming is their livelihood. They keep chickens to sell eggs and raise hogs for meat processing each year 91裸聊视频� income that allows Smith to stay at home full-time to work the farm and home-school their two kids aged 10 and seven. Their farm is home to 100 chickens as well as turkeys, goats, peacocks and bunnies and other livestock.
This year the family ran into a new problem 91裸聊视频� coyotes that could be heard from a distance in previous years began encroaching onto their property, sneaking into their chicken coop.
Traps of any kind are out of the question, as the neighbourhood is filled with pets and children. The couple don91裸聊视频榯 own firearms and are uneasy about using them to solve their coyote conundrum.
91裸聊视频淭his is the first time we91裸聊视频檝e had an issue like this in four years,91裸聊视频� Smith said, adding that in addition to a greater number of more emboldened coyotes, they91裸聊视频檝e also had a lot more up-close bear encounters.
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Coyote mating season runs from December until the end of March, a period in which residents are often reminded to keep dogs leashed, lest they be lured by a female coyote in heat.
On Friday, Vernon Conservation Officer Tanner Beck said there has not been an uptick in coyote reports lately.
91裸聊视频淚n fact it91裸聊视频檚 lower than usual. Probably because people aren91裸聊视频檛 outside as much. In the summer, spring and whatnot we get more encounters because people are out walking their dogs.91裸聊视频�
For those who raise chickens or other livestock, Beck said the best coyote deterrent a fence around their properties.
The Smiths have fenced their property, but the coyotes and bears have demonstrated no issues with climbing over it. Instead, they rely on their trained livestock guard dogs to defend their chickens.
However, that has led to a second problem: bylaw officers have been called due to noise complaints related to the dogs91裸聊视频� barking to scare away the coyotes. Bylaw officers ordered the Smiths to keep their dogs muzzled and in a kennel at night.
They can either muzzle their dogs and leave their chickens exposed, or they let them bark and risk being handed bylaw fines.
Some have suggested hiring a coyote pest control company, which could be a viable option. Others have suggested moving somewhere else where their farm won91裸聊视频檛 be near any neighbours, but being in a neighbourhood was part of the reason they settled there in the first place.
91裸聊视频淭his is our dream property,91裸聊视频� Smith explained. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e worked very hard to get to where we are and find a place like this where we could be close to town and have neighbours and kids around for our little kids, and still have that sort of lifestyle of raising chickens and the pigs.91裸聊视频�
They hope to be granted an exemption from noise complaints on the basis of their need to protect their livestock and livelihood, but mating season won91裸聊视频檛 end for a while yet.
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