Activism

ACTION NEEDED: 25 Deer Sentenced to Death in Oak Bay – Write City Hall Now!

A deer spotted on Richardson Street.
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.
 
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.
 
Deer snacking in the Ross Bay Cemetery.
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!

 
A deer visiting a Fairfield home.

Dave Shishkoff

Founder and Editor of the site, check the 'About' page for more info!

4 Comments

  1. David Mackenzie-Kong Anybody that visits the OakBay area and has a Google + account leave a note for your concern at city hall and add your location. Every time someone is in the area and check out the nearby tab. Your concerns will come up. Just an idea.

  2. Please Support Peace on Earth for these “Gifts of Nature” with whom we are blessed with.
    We updated our Boycott petition. This also includes previous plans by Central Saanich. Please sign and share. http://www.change.org/…/say-no-to-bc-deer-killings

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