WASHINGTON —The Humane Society of the United States applauds the Board of Supervisors of East Goshen, Pennsylvania for voting against a proposal to allow  bow hunt to kill deer to take place in their community this fall. Citizens packed the room of the board's meeting earlier this month, where it voted overwhelmingly against a suburban bow hunt.

"We praise the East Goshen Board of Supervisors for their decision against a bow hunt," said John Grandy, Ph.D. wildlife biologist and senior vice president of The HSUS.   "This method of killing results in high incidents of wounding causing unnecessary suffering for the targeted animal," he said. "We encourage other communities to follow their lead and adopt humane solutions to deer conflicts."   

Nationwide, communities are going head to head with white-tailed deer, and there is much controversy on how to handle the conflict. A recent study shows that 1 out of 3 deer may be crippled outright, not killed, by an arrow, and many of those deer are left behind by the hunter.

The HSUS advocates non-lethal means for resolving conflicts between people and wildlife and cultivates understanding and appreciation for wild animals commonly found in cities and towns. Non-lethal solutions are working in other suburban communities. For example, a day-long workshop on solving deer problems was provided for citizens of Westchester County, NY and it included approaches such as appropriate fencing, effective repellents, how to choose deer-resistant plant varieties and other innovative techniques. In Waterton, Canada, so many residents and businesses routinely use fencing and mesh to protect prized vegetation to the extent that it becomes part of the "town look."

For more information on humanely resolving conflicts with wildlife go to www.wildneighbors.org.

Media Contact: Karen L. Allanach (301) 548-7778, [email protected]                     

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with nearly 10 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. The HSUS is on the web at www.hsus.org