Castlegar city council has struck a committee to review the bylaw that charges an annual fee of $1,000 to license pit bulls and Staffordshire terriers.
“There was a lot of chatter on Facebook and in the newspaper,” Coun. Deb McIntosh said at Monday’s council meeting.
“The bylaw is ineffective.”
Although the bylaw is 10 years old, a recent Castlegar News story about how the $1,000 fee was deterring prospective residents from moving to the city has brought renewed attention to the issue.
Since the bylaw came into force, city staff said only one person has paid the licence fee.
McIntosh said since the story in the newspaper, she has had several conversations with people in the community who have admitted to having a pit bull or Staffordshire terrier, but just refer to them as a different breed to avoid paying the fee.
“No one has registered their pit bull and there are pit bulls in town,” she said.
McIntosh believes part of the problem with enforcement is that bylaw officers have trouble identifying the dogs since mixed breeds are also part of the bylaw.
“It’s been a while so it makes sense to review it,” Coun. Kirk Duff said.
Duff was on city council when the bylaw was passed in 2001.
The review will begin soon and a report is to be forwarded to the city’s planning and development and public safety committees.