With shorebird season in flight, the West Coast’s canine population finds itself once again in the dog house.
The Pacific Rim National Park Reserve has announced its third consecutive seasonal dog ban at Combers Beach.
The ban will be in effect from April 1 to Oct. 1 to ensure the roughly 500,000 shorebirds representing about 30 different species using the area as an important rest stop on their long journeys from South America to their Arctic breeding grounds aren’t disturbed.
The seasonal ban was first put into effect in 2022, barring dogs from Combers Beach between Sandhill Creek and Green Point Rocks, including the trail between the beach and parking lot as well as the boardwalk that connects the beach to Green Point Campground.
“Dogs will continue to be permitted in all other areas of the Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, but must be kept on a leash at all times,” the announcement states.
It adds that anyone who brings their dog to a prohibited area within the Park Reserve will face a $58 fine for their first offence and repeat offenders could be fined up to $25,000.
The Park Reserve is asking anyone who sees a dog in a restricted area, or a dog off-leash anywhere within its borders, to report their sighting to Parks Canada Dispatch 250-726-3604 or toll free 1-877-852-3100.
More information about the ban can be found at the Park Reserve’s website.
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