UPDATED: While in the very early stages, Kelowna City Council are looking into a humane solution for the deer.
In an email to AM1150, the City wrote "staff has spoken with the Conservation Officer Service since the issue was raised yesterday and are exploring the idea of amending the zoning bylaw that would prohibit this type of fencing."
Staff are looking at best practices in other jurisdictions and consultation will need to be completed before any formal bylaw amendment is made by City Council.
The email detailed that any bylaw amendment wouldn't address existing fencing installed at homes and businesses, it would simply affect future installations
It's a sad and gruesome story.
Deer in Kelowna trying to jump those wrought iron fences that have the spears along the top - and are winding up impaled.
Conservation officers have had to euthanize 10 deer since January - many of them in the Upper Mission.
Officer Ed Sights says "these deer aren't quite clearing the fence properly, and are getting hung up and impaled on the back end. It's a pretty gruesome sight and way to die for them."
He says "the deer population has flourished up there becaue of the new "groceries" that have come in after the tree canopy was burned off (in 2003), and a lot of new homes went up that have adopted these spear-type fences. But it does happen throughout the valley and other parts of the city too," says Sights.
He says BC Conservation is working with the City of Kelowna to try and develop a solution - but adds concerned homeowners can modify their wrought iron fences.