Feed the animals: for a price
For those who love strolling downtown, gently tossing a scrap of donut to a seagull or crust of sandwich to a crow, it may be best to take your relaxing lunch break activities elsewhere now, or it’ll cost you — up to $350.
Victoria City Council passed a motion last week that now prohibits the feeding of wildlife within the downtown core. While the initial proposal, pushed forward by the Governance and Priorities Committee, asked for a restriction throughout city limits, council asked the group to redraft the bylaw amendment.
“Mammals such as deer and raccoons can become habitual when fed, potentially causing both a public safety risk and destruction of the habituated animal,” wrote committee member Shannon Craig, policy analyst of Corporate Planning and Policy, in the recommendations to council. “Feeding of the other listed animals will likely result in the causation of a nuisance.”
The bylaw was adopted unanimously on its third reading at the council meeting on Thursday, March 22, and notes that “a person must not intentionally feed or leave food out for the purposes of feeding” deer or raccoons (unless they’d like a $350 wrist slap), or for squirrels, rabbits, pigeons, crows or seagulls — which will cost a $125 fine.
Luckily, for those who like sharing, Beacon Hill Park and Pioneer Square missed the boundary line, which stretches from the Bay Street Bridge to the legislature, and from Cook Street to James Bay’s Laurel Point Park.
The joke’s on you, moneybags
If you’re looking for a good joke this April Fool’s Day, pop into the 15th Annual Corporate Golden Piggy Awards, set for April 1, 2 p.m. at St. Ann’s Academy Auditorium (835 Humboldt). The awards poke fun at how Victoria’s rich and powerful have been entertaining activists on South Vancouver Island since 1997. Stay tuned for the winners. M