Issues: The Euthanization of Beavers

I think it's shameful that the city has euthanized 40 beavers in the past year alone. There was a time when the beaver was our city's emblem, yet it appears that there has been little effort recently to protect the animal. The Mayor has said that she does not support the killing of wildlife, but I think the numbers tell a different story. I think it's rather sad that while the Mayor feels strongly about protecting wildlife she was apparently unaware of the wide-spread killing of beavers that has taken place for many years now in Surrey.

It's important that new developments, as much as possible, do not encroach upon natural habitat and greenbelts that are home to many animals, hopefully mitigating any future problems and flooding. I believe that we should respect that beaver dams will always be a part of the natural environment and that we should do our best not to build in areas that could be potentially flooded by damming. I also hope that the city implements a system of 'beaver-deceivers', as other municipalities in the Lower Mainland have done, instead of continuing its program of euthanization.