Vancouver Park Board looks into more humane pest control methods

Calls for more humane rodent control There's a push to deal with unwanted pests in a more humane way.

Rats, mice and other rodents are often thought of as a nuisance but certain ways of killing them can also cause problems.

Rodents are often poisoned and sometimes, that can have unintended consequences.

"Dogs, cats, owls, raptors, will often eat carrion, and of course then that poison gets into them and it carries on up the food chain," explained Stuart MacKinnon, a Vancouver Park Board Commissioner.

MacKinnon would like to see alternative ways of controlling wildlife and rodents.

"We're asking the park board to review those contracts and the second part of the motion is, if possible, could we be using companies that follow the SPCA AnimalKind protocol."

The BC SPCA's "AnimalKind" program accredits pest control companies and dog training businesses that use the most humane methods and follow a strict set of standards.

The program ensures rodents are treated humanely but it also has another benefit.

Since AAA Wildlife Control was accredited, it has noticed an uptick in business and even job applicants.

"Everyone is noticing the accreditation and it strikes a chord with them," said Randy Celiniski

The motion will go before the park board on Monday.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Ben Miljure

Correction: A previous version of this story misquoted MacKinnon as saying the park board was being asked to "remove" the contracts. He said the board is being asked to "review" them.