Resolution 16-03M

WHEREAS, stray wild boars are becoming an ever increasing problem and are not regulated by Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food or by Saskatchewan Environment; and

WHEREAS, they are protected by The Stray Animals Act; and

WHEREAS, stray wild boar have the ability to harm, damage and destroy property and wildlife; and

WHEREAS, there is no reasonable means to capture or restrain a stray wild boar;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that SARM pressure the Provincial Government to amend The Stray Animals Act to allow a proprietor to shoot and kill any stray wild boar.

Response From Honourable Clay Serby, Minister of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food & Rural Revitalization:

The Government of Saskatchewan appreciates the challenges presented by escaped wild boar. The regulatory changes SARM proposes may improve regulatory framework, but unfortunately, will do little to address the practical problems of locating and killing the animals. Tagging would be effective only for animals which escape from a farm, but would do little for animals which are born in the wild. It would not make it any easier to find or destroy wild boars. However, The Stray Animals Act and The Stray Animals Regulations, 1999, do provide authority to municipalities for dealing with stray animals, including wild boar. The regulations also specify minimum fencing requirements for wild boar.

Local municipalities have much greater ability than the province to monitor and enforce local issues such as land use and fencing. Regardless of ownership, the Act allows for stray animals to be detained in pounds and the owners held responsible for the associated costs. The Act also contains provisions which allow a person to kill a stray animal where the stray is in the act of harming, endangering or pursuing any person or livestock. Proprietors may also kill strays if conditions, including approval from the rural municipality are obtained.