HomeMy WebLinkAboutGarner - Re the deer solution.pdf1
Tayo Johnson
From:Beatrice Szekely <beatrice@twcny.rr.com>
Sent:Thursday, December 02, 2010 8:23 AM
To:Lowell Garner
Cc:Beatrice Szekely
Subject:Re: the deer solution
Dear Lowell,
Thank you for writing.
At the bottom line, I firmly believe we must do what we can to eliminate the excess population of deer in the Village -- the
damage they are inflicting and the dangers they pose to drivers and anyone exposed to Lyme disease through deer ticks
are principal reasons, along with their terrible destruction of all kinds of plant life, bird and small animal habitat. The goal
is a good carrying capacity in numbers of deer remaining in the Village. As is known, sterilization and hunting is being
carried on at Cornell, and hunting by permit in the Village of Lansing. Putting together these efforts in three contiguous
areas means we have a chance to remedy the situation in our area.
I cannot argue with you about fear. I can tell you that the four deer I see from my window this morning foraging for food in
the snow are not enjoying life very much as they compete for food with the rest of the herd. I have noted that the bolt
device used with baiting, netting and stunning is that recommended in the euthanasia guidelines of the national
professional veterinary association. And I can tell you that assuming the draft proposal is adopted, it will be our intent that
the deer not be held inside netting any longer than is absolutely necessary and that professional hunters be hired to hold
the animals and bolt them in order to assure quick deaths. I will surely keep in mind your remarks about restraint as I
remain resolved to support the draft proposal. Baiting, netting and bolting as one option in our planning offers the
advantage of not needing to use firearms in residential areas, thereby serving a public safety function.
Please write again or call if you wish to talk further (257-5346).
From our house to your house, warm greetings; may your Hannukah candles burn brightly,
Bea
----- Original Message -----
From: Lowell Garner
To: beatrice@twcny.rr.com
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 5:47 AM
Subject: the deer solution
Hi Bea,
Hope all is well with you and that you had a good Thanksgiving holiday.
I read about the newest option being explored to deal with Cayuga Heights' deer problem. I have
been silent on this issue until now, hoping that one of the most sophisticated communities in the
U.S., would see the arrogance and narrowness of their decisions. However, when I thought culling
couldn't get any worse, it just did. Net and bolt. The slaughter industry has taken years to manage
cattle processing efficiently. Among the various problems has been the animals' fear that slows their
march along the conveyor, effective restraint systems, and quick and accurate killing mechanisms to
minimize pain (as well as to keep animals from spreading disruptive fear). Temple Grandin has
written extensively on this subject. I won't take your time to present the neuropharmacology
supporting her assertion that fear, not pain, is the most inhumane of all stimuli we can inflict upon an
animal. She also feels that the key to killing swiftly is an effective restraint, otherwise there are too
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many 2nd attempts required. Industry standards have been devised and quality controls instituted
so that both these situations can be avoided- even McDonald's demands these standards.
Netted deer will agonize from the most severe form of fear. I can't emphasize this enough. From the
time they are netted until they are killed they will suffer. Secondly, the bolting technique is not even
100% effective in the best of hands with RESTRAINED animals. The slaughter of these netted deer
will be even more odious.
Thirty tears ago, when I was doing my early anesthesia training, there were those that said
premature infants and newborns had such rudimentary nervous systems that they did not require
anesthesia, and often these patients received nothing more than oxygen. However, science had
repeatedly proved that these noncommunicative human beings, as well as animals, were indeed
experiencing profound pain. Back then, even with this knowledge, some practitioners refused to
change. Our knowledge has evolved even further since that time, and this kind of cruelty is
unconscionable today. Yet this is precisely the benighted attitude that CHs is using when coming up
with deer “solutions”, especially in the case of net & bolting.
It is with genuine sadness and heartache that I write you. With all the instances of humankind's
greed and the lessons we supposedly have learned, about a planet in such peril, must this be the
course that my enlightened neighbors pursue?
All my best,
Lowell