Date: 08/03/09
Contact: Lynne Foster    
Phone: (775) 688-1997

CARSON CITY AND NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE HOST BEAR ORDINANCE WORKSHOPS

Four public workshops are scheduled in August to gather Carson City residents’ input on a proposed ordinance on bear issues in Carson City.

“Our goals are to keep bears away from homes for public safety,” said Pat Wiggins, Animal Services Director with Carson City. “Securing garbage will help home owners and bears.”

The proposed ordinance, modeled after the Douglas County Bear-Proof Container Ordinance, requires that after the first incident of a bear accessing a citizen’s garbage the responsible party will receive a verbal or written warning. The second incident of a bear accessing a citizen’s garbage within two years from receiving a verbal or written warning, the responsible party will be issued a mandatory court citation or the responsible party can purchase or construct a bear-proof collection bin, container or structure within ninety days of the incident. For a successive incident within two years of a second incident, the responsible party will be cited and if convicted punished for an infraction with a fine of not less than $100.

“The bottom line is bears that become habituated to human garbage are going to eventually become problem bears,” said Carl Lackey, bear biologist with Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). “We’ve seen it over and over again, when the garbage problem is handled, the bears move on,“ Lackey continued, “I’m confident the citizens can find a solution that works for their community and for the health of the bear population.”

There will be four identical workshops that will include a presentation and question and answer period, in different locations in Carson City. Those include: Tuesday, August 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ormsby Room of the Sheriff’s Administration Building, 911 East Musser Street; Wednesday, August 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Reynolds Building, Room 113 of Western Nevada College, 2201 West College Parkway; Tuesday, August 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Bonanza Room of the Community Center, 851 East William Street; and Wednesday, August 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the board room of the Carson City School District, 1402 West King Street.

To view or download a draft of the proposed ordinance, visit www.carson-city.nv.us or call Pat Wiggins at 887-2171 for more information. To learn more about safety in bear country, visit www.ndow.org/wild/concerns/safety/bear/.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.

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