Action Item: Oak Bay to kill 25 deer

Guest blogger Dave Shiskoff

Oak Bay City Hall has announced that they’re planning to exterminate 25 deer over the next year (see Times Colonist article here). Killing animals is a brutal and barbaric decision, and is rarely effective in reducing their numbers long-term. Nature is resilient, and often even more animals return due to the upset of their settlement – “nature abhors a vacuum." The same elements that are attracting deer now remain, and will only continue to draw in more deer.

Deer

Additionally, this thinking only institutes a costly and never-ending bloodbath. What happens in 2015? Another deer kill at $12,500? And the year after – another $12,500? How many years along do we overspend the amount it would take to make happy the few who complain? If the money were invested in deer-proofing their yards instead, we could all get along.

There are ways to resolve the problems people have without killing, and we must look into these options – deer deserve our respect, not captive bolt-gun shots to the head.

ACTION: PLEASE WRITE OAK BAY MAYOR NILS JENSEN AND CITY COUNCIL, AND TELL THEM KILLING DEER IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND THAT BETTER OPTIONS EXIST.

You can write to:

Oak Bay Municipal Hall

2167 Oak Bay Ave

Victoria, BC V8R 1G2

Fax: (250) 598-9108

Or email:

oakbaymayor@oakbay.ca

obcouncil@oakbay.ca

In addition to the points described above, some topics to consider including in your letter:

• There is a bylaw against feeding wildlife, but it is poorly enforced. Between 2007 & 2012 there were only 5 tickets issued. Plenty of people grow plants that attract deer, and are breaking the bylaw, yet Oak Bay does nothing about it.

• The number 25 is totally arbitrary, no one knows what kind of impact this will have and is literally a shot in the dark.

• The total cost of the project is $12,500 or $500/deer. If they’re planning to implement this over 10 years, that’s $125,000. This money could be used to help people who are having problems instead.

• We need to change our own behavior. Managing deer is near-impossible. We have total control over ourselves, and can grow plants that deer are less interested in. We can adapt our behaviours in other ways that would allow for co-existence with deer.

• Deer were here first – we’re filling up and denying them what was originally their space. Deer belong here, and that is the attitude we must adopt.

Thank-you for speaking up for deer, and please share this action – let’s work together to find a peaceful solution!

Dave Shishkoff

Canadian Correspondent

Friends of Animals

Web Site: http://FriendsofAnimals.org

Victoria: http://TheVictoriaVegan.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2496490922

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/FoA_Victoria

FoA Vegan Starter Guide PDF: http://bit.ly/foa-vsg

Help Make A Difference

Join The Fur-Bearers today and help us protect fur-bearing animals in the wild and confinement. To become a monthly donor (for as little as $10/month – the cost of two lattes) please click here and help us save lives today. Your donation is tax-deductible.

Tags

Latest Posts

Defender Radio

00.00
Listen To The Latest
  • Listen To The Latest

About Us

Established in 1953, The Fur-Bearers is a charitable, non-partisan organization whose goals are to end the commercial fur trade and promote solutions for wildlife coexistence in communities. Your donation is tax-deductible. Charitable registration number: 130006125RR0002

Pin It on Pinterest

Scroll to Top