Vernon looks to ban pointed fences after deer impalements

Photo: BCCOS

Vernon city council will amend its bylaws to ban pointed fences that can impale deer.

Coun. Scott Anderson raised the motion this week, which was supported unanimously by council.

Anderson had previously issued a notice of motion and clarified on Monday that his amendment would not affect current fences, just new construction.

The bylaw must now go through the process of three readings and final adoption, said city spokesperson Christy Poirier.

The amendment comes after parts the city faced issues this year with wildlife getting impaled on spiked fences.

In October, residents in the Middleton Mountain area mourned the death of a fawn they had watched since it was born.

It had attempted to jump a fence when it was impaled and died.

Urbanized deer were also an ongoing problem in the East Hill area of the city virtually all year.

Other cities, including Kelowna and Penticton, have also faced similar problems and have debated the hazard such fences pose to wildlife. Kelowna has banned the fences.

A similar situation occurred in January in the Westshore Estates area on the Westside of Okanagan Lake.

A woman said she witnessed a deer become impaled by a wrought-iron fence, and noted that she has witnessed six deer get impaled since living in that area for less than two years.