Culling Deer Won’t Reduce

Lyme Disease

To the Editor:

Sometime in the near future, the Tick-Borne Disease Action Committee will decide if a deer cull is necessary to reduce the incidence of Lyme disease in Newtown. Of all the towns around us that have implemented deer culls, I don’t know of one that has reported a decrease in Lyme. Deer don’t carry Lyme. Ticks become infected when they feed on rodents and birds. Migrating birds spread the disease to other locations.

Those who think that killing deer will get rid of Lyme are deluding themselves. The scientific evidence does not support that idea. It’s much more complicated. Instead of waging a war on deer, I would like to see a major townwide campaign that would equip everyone with what they need to know about Lyme and how they can protect themselves.

Instead of arming a few people with weapons, how about arming the public with knowledge. Instead of following the crowd, I would like to see Newtown adopt a more modern, scientific approach to the subject of Lyme as opposed to the barbaric and archaic so called “solution” of killing deer. There’s a great website: wildlifeeducationcoalition.org. It’s full of information that will answer many questions.

Sincerely,

Susan Kokoska

9 White Oak Farm, Newtown                                December 30, 2009