PEI

Fox feeding bylaw stalled in Charlottetown

A bylaw to ban the feeding of foxes in Charlottetown, originally expected to be in place early in 2018, is still a ways from reality.

Education campaign has been effective, says councillor

They can be cute, but feeding foxes isn't good for them. (Submitted by Jules Aucoin)

A bylaw to ban the feeding of foxes in Charlottetown, originally expected to be in place early in 2018, is still a ways from reality.

Following an education campaign during the winter of 2016-17, council suggested a bylaw was on its way for early 2018.

Coun. Terry MacLeod said the city has been in discussion with the province on how to draft a bylaw, and whether to make it specific to foxes or whether to expand it to apply to other wildlife. How to enforce it has been another serious issue for the planned bylaw.

Those talks continue, and MacLeod said in the meantime the city is renewing its education campaign.

Foxes have become a common sight in the city of Charlottetown. (Submitted by Andréa Perry)

"It seems to work. I think there might have been one trip where we had to send the bylaw officer with the person still wanting to feed the foxes. That's pretty good really," said MacLeod.

He said the city has been tracking complaints about fox feeding to measure the effectiveness of the campaign, and there have not been many recently.

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With files from Island Morning