Press Releases
From Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW)

We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.

Westchester County Served with Dangerous Condition Notice regarding Hunting

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2015

CONTACT:
Kiley Blackman
[email protected]
www.adow.org

Taxpayers could be affected as venues that promise deer slaughter in close proximity to residences face liability, lawsuits.

Westchester County, Rye and Mamaroneck have each been served with a Notice of Dangerous Condition concerning their respective plans to conduct bow hunting and firearms deer slaughters, or 'culls' within their borders.  Lawsuits arising against these venues as a result of hunting accidents - or even just seeing something disturbing related to them - could affect taxes for residents in those areas.

This is a legal document, similar to notices about many public hazard conditions as a basis for establishing liability; it was drawn up by attorney Delice Seligman and states the following:

COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER: STATE OF NEW YORK
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X

NOTICE OF DANGEROUS CONDITION

TO: ROBERT ASTORINO, in his capacity as
COUNTY EXECUTIVE, County of Westchester,
State of New York and

and

ROBERT ASTORINO, individually:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -X

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE OF DANGEROUS CONDITION.

THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER is about to permit BOW AND/OR FIREARM  HUNTING or Discharge of same within the County. This may cause serious injuries to the general public as a result of impaling, goring, shooting or death, along with emotional and psychological distress to the public and other risks including the possibility of increased deer/car collisions resulting from frightened deer running into the road way.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that, in the event a Notice of Claim or other legal proceedings is filed against the County of Westchester because of any injury or death resulting from bow and/or firearm hunting or discharge of same within notice shall become part of the public record in that proceeding.

Dated: May 15, 2015
Kingston, NY

Yours, etc.

DELICE SELIGMAN,
ESQ.
70 Main Street
Kingston, NY 12401
(845) 338-4100
[email protected]

ADOW founder Kiley Blackman said, "Under the direction of of Westchester Conservation Czar John Baker, Westchester County is embarking on a reckless course of action relating to their 'deer management' program, which calls for slaughter via bow hunting or rifle; especially in Mamaroneck, the appropriate concern has been raised about public safety of this endeavor, due to the close proximity of homes and generally crowded per capita area - and was quickly and arrogantly dismissed by the Westchester Bow Hunters Assn, despite the fact that bow hunting is notoriously inaccurate due to weather conditions, a moving target, human error, inconsistent anchoring when shooting from a treestand or other awkward position...some of which have led to deer being wounded and dying on residents' lawns; all combine to present a very real possibility of danger to residents, their animal companions...and of course the very distressing possibility of seeing an animal who has staggered away to escape, leaving blood trails throughout the neighborhood.  

"If lawsuits arise from these incidences residents here could see an increase in their taxes.

"Many sources site a 50% wounding rate; the county doesn't care about the pain it inflicts on animals, but they need to be faced with the possibility of liability for the problems that may result from their decision to put citizens at risk, merely to appease property owners who value their gardens above all else." 

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