Deer Culling Is Not The Answer

To the Editor:

Deer culling is not the answer to reducing Lyme disease. There are other methods to use that are safer and more effective. With our society finally opening up their eyes to becoming “greener” and taking better care of our world, why would we resort to this old school mentality?

When we were faced with the possibility of West Nile Virus in our town, our health department approved our town to be sprayed with a pesticide, and each drainage basin was treated to try and kill the majority of the mosquito population. We didn’t bring in outsiders to walk our streets with fly swatters to kill the mosquito or any other insect that might have been carrying the virus. Why can’t we look into treating the areas where our wildlife population is more abundant with a safe pesticide to kill the ticks?

We don’t need our “open space” invaded and changed for a hunt that really has no proof of success, unless you ask the hunter. There are other, safer, means to help rid our town of ticks and lessening the risk of Lyme disease. There are companies that will come and spray your lawn and there are treatments for your pets.

As far as lessening our deer population, we have an enormous amount of active hunting taking place in our town right now. I’m sure you hear the gun shots. Do you hear the bow and arrows? No, they are silent and without you even knowing that it’s taking place. It can be happening even in your own neighbor’s yard and you don’t know it until an inexperienced, inaccurate neighbor calls you because the deer is now dying in your yard or you see a deer pass by dying with an arrow in it.

No one is saying that there should be no deer hunting allowed. If someone is hunting for their own food and in a humane manner, they are licensed through the State Department of Environmental Protection, are not trespassing on private property without permission of the owner or hunting in restricted areas such as our open space, I may not agree, but no one is stopping them. What we are saying is that to have a massive slaughter of deer, use our “open space,” and bring in hunters from other towns to possibly lower the risk of Lyme disease is not the answer.

We need to use our intelligence and become educated to a safer, more compassionate alternative and in so doing, we teach my generation, our children and the next generation of children to live in harmony with living beings and co-exist and appreciate the nature around them.  After all, we live in the country. When you chose to live in Newtown, you chose to share it with the animals that were here first.

Alissa Silber

Creator of the Vegetarian & Animal Concerns Club

Newtown High School

12 Berkshire Road, Sandy Hook                           December 10, 2008