Reptile Guy may have to move

Abbotsford’s Reptile Guy has been trying to find a bigger home for his reptile rescue centre, but has run into a bit of a snag.

Mike Hopcraft says the City has adopted the Fraser Valley Regional District’s animal bylaws, which won’t let him take in a lot of the animals that are on the provincial rescue permit.

Hopcraft says he’s trying to work out an agreement with the City of Abbotsford, but says he may end up moving to Mission if something doesn’t happen soon.

“Mission actually wants us there. We have a couple of councilors there that are really pushing to get us out to Mission. Mission does have bylaws against certain animals, but one, they’re willing to look around or work past that and amend some bylaws so that we can be there, and we also found in the bylaw that if we have the permits from the ministry of environment, that would allow us to move to Mission and not conflict with their bylaws.”

Hopcraft says under the current bylaws the only way he can fully operate in Abbotsford unless he becomes an accredited zoo, which takes more money and time than he can afford right now.