We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.
Mark Lungariello,
The Journal News
January 22, 2015
Depleting the deer population that is posing "a clear and present danger to drivers" in Mamaroneck and Rye should be a focus for state and county agencies, according to Mamaroneck village Mayor Norman Rosenblum.
Rosenblum wants the county and state to use either relocation, birth control or hunting to reduce the number of deer in the area. Rye will host a "deer management summit" sometime in February, with Mamaroneck, county and state officials participating.
"It's paramount something be done," Rosenblum said.
In a Jan. 18 email to residents, Rosenblum attached a sample letter addressed to Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathleen O'Connor and state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens asking for action and saying a large deer population could spread Lyme disease, negatively disrupt the ecosystem and pose a danger to drivers.
Mamaroneck isn't alone in trying to reduce the number of deer in its boundaries. Last year, Hastings-on-Hudson looked to be a pioneer by using a birth control program to slow the population growth. Westchester County has used a permitted hunting program and last year, Teatown Lake Reservation employed sharpshooters to kill off deer on its property despite a legal challenge from residents.
Kiley Blackman, a Tuckahoe resident and founder of the group Animal Activists of Westchester, criticized the mayor Thursday and said that his email circulated "hate-filled" misinformation.
"It is outrageous that the mayor has waged his own war on wildlife, especially after taking over a rural area near a body of water where animals resided before him," she said.
Mamaroneck previously clashed over wildlife in 2013 when animal rights groups successfully lobbied against a plan by the village to slaughter some of the Canada geese that regularly gather in places like Harbor Island Park. Amid backlash from pro-animal residents, the village later faced criticisms for blocking all incoming emails to the village that contained the word "geese."
Ultimately, Mamaroneck opted not to slaughter the geese but instead used oil to prevent geese eggs from hatching and flew kites made to look like birds of prey over the waterfront Harbor Island Park in an attempt to scare off the geese there.
Return to: Articles and Media Coverage
WESTCHESTER4GEESE is an adjunct of ANIMAL DEFENDERS OF WESTCHESTER. We advocate against all forms of animal abuse and exploitation, including hunting, experimentation, fur, circuses and rodeos - https://www.facebook.com/Westchester4Geese