Reasons Against Culling Deer

To the Editor:

I live in a town in northern Dutchess County that is close to the Connecticut border, and we too have a Lyme disease problem, so I sympathize with the concerns of some citizens in Newtown. But I assure you that killing deer is not a good answer to the problem for a number of reasons.

First, it is cruel action that deprives the environment of one of our treasured natural beauties; but I won’t belabor this point which should be self-evident to most sensitive individuals.

Second, it teaches violence. Many young people who later graduate to violent acts against humans get their start by killing other animals. One such case was that of then 26-year-old Joseph T. Austin who was described in May 2002 article that ran in the Asbury Park Press by staff James W. Prado Roberts who wrote that Austin “...wasn’t satisfied with torturing and killing animals. He wanted a person.” Austin found his victim, Roberts wrote, when he lured a 20-year-old woman to her death in a wildlife area. Austin’s abuse of animals had progressed gradually over his lifetime, claimed prosecutor William P. Cunningham. “He was a hunter, and he drank the blood of the kill...The next step in his case was to kill a human.” Killers like Austin graduate from mild abuse of animals — kicking the dog on a bad day — to enjoying killing and mutilating animals, and then to killing humans. In fact, several of the notorious school shooters were trained by their parents at a young age to hunt and mutilate animals in secret.

Three, in practical terms, a deer cull is not a good solution. Ticks can be found on almost 50 species of birds and in mammals such as chipmunks, squirrel, voles, foxes, rabbits, and mice. So the disease can be spread in many other ways. Moreover, killing deer does not reduce their numbers. Wildlife managers are well aware that the deer who survive a cull then benefit from enhanced food supply and consequently produce more deer (twins) and begin to reproduce at a younger age.

Four, there are preventive measures available to help protect humans and their companion animals against contracting the disease. Dogs and cats treated with tick preventive medicines will not carry ticks home. People who wear proper clothing and search for ticks after having walked in the woods can also guard against Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. There are also some sprays on the market that will deter ticks.

Five, some communities, such as on Fire Island, are successfully using deer birth control measures.

Please help us protect and enjoy our treasured natural world and don’t encourage killing.

Constance Young

Pine Plains, N.Y.                                                       December 10, 2008