The District of 100 Mile Hosue is reviewing a bylaw that restricts the ownership of exotic pets.
The proposed amendment was brought to council by Kyle Boyd after a salamander was found in his basement. “Me and my four-year-old son went to get a habitat for him and went to Total Pet to get some supplies, but they were limited in what they could do to service amphibians and reptiles,” Boyd says “They basically told me there was a bylaw in place prohibiting the purchase and sale of reptiles within the 100 Mile jurisdiction. I went and looked up the bylaw and decided that needed to change”.
The current bylaw restricts a large number of exotic animal species, including reptiles. Boyd included corn snakes, leopard geckos, ball pythons, and bearded dragons specifically in the bylaw amendment, saying those species are easy to domesticate.
The amendment was brought up at the District of 100 Mile House Council meeting on January 12th, and council will deliberate further before coming to a decision.