Following yet more coyote attacks in Stanley Park, two Vancouver Park Board commissioners are calling for their permanent removal.
John Coupar announced on Twitter Wednesday (Sept. 1) morning that he, along with fellow Park Board Commissioner Tricia Barker, were making moves to call for the immediate removal of the park’s wild dogs. Coupar wrote this would be done through calling a special meeting of the Park Board with the intention of asking the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) to take more permanent action.
As for what that action will be specifically, be it trapping or a cull, Coupar says that is up to the COS to decide.
Coupar, a Vancouver 2022 mayoral candidate with the Non-Partisan Association, explained the process would lead to a special meeting this upcoming Friday at the earliest but most likely early next week.
"What I think we need is a resolution of the park board as an entity to ask the province to take immediate action,” Coupar said. “In my mind, it's public safety. Stanley Park is a jewel in our city, and people need to be able to safely enjoy the park and right now that's not the case."
Recently, three more coyote attacks in the park have been reported by the COS and today the service announced the euthanization of the seventh Stanley Park coyote.
“Three attacks occurred overnight, including two on children,” the service wrote in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “One coyote, which demonstrated signs of food habituation, was killed. The COS will remain in the park to patrol and respond to these specific incidents.”
The attacks have been a regular occurrence for the past few months and according to Coupar the board’s actions so far have been lacking.
“Certainly we've been working with the Stanley Park Ecology Society, installing cameras, we've been working with the province,” Coupar said. “But still, we're seeing these attacks, and it's certainly concerning when young children are attacked.”
"It's unfortunate, but at some point, we have to stand up for people's peaceful and safe enjoyment of the park and that's the reason that I brought this forward."
