Cranbrook violates deer cull permit

BC Deer Protection Society urges Minister to deny future cull permits

INVERMERE, BC, Feb. 28, 2018 /CNW/ - City of Cranbrook just announced that it completed its cull of 50 deer - 30 Mule and 20 White-tailed Deer (cranbrook.ca/news/article/city-removes-50-deer-from-urban-herd-in-recent-population-control-program).  The Wildlife Act Permit CB 17-276062 authorized the City to "hunt, trap or kill up to a combined total of fifty (50) Mule Deer... or incidental White-tailed Deer..."

"Forty percent of the animals killed were White-tailed Deer which is not an incidental take," said Karen Brown, spokesperson, BC Deer Protection Society (BCDPS).  "In fact, it appears from the City's media release that whitetails were targeted, which would contravene the permit. The City states that the trapping took place where the highest number of complaints were about White-tailed Deer, not Mule Deer."

"Cranbrook's Urban Deer Annual Management Reports clearly states that the permit allowed for both Mule Deer and incidental White-tailed Deer to be captured and euthanized," said Barry MacKay, Canadian Representative, Born Free USA and spokesperson, BCDPS.  "However, the report clarifies that the intent of the permit was to remove only Mule Deer.  White-tailed Deer were included just in case they were captured and could not be released safely and uninjured."

The permit states: "Failure to comply with any term of this permit is an offence under the Wildlife Act and may result in any or all prosecution, suspension of the permit, cancellation of the permit, ineligibility for future permits, and denial of future permit requests."

 "Other municipalities such as Kimberley and Oak Bay are trying non-lethal measures to address concerns about their deer populations and are doing so with the support of the Ministry," said Liz White, Leader, Animal Protection Party of Canada and spokesperson, BCDPS.  "Cranbrook and Invermere are the last of the original cull communities still killing deer.  Why does the Minister allow culls to continue when even the Cranbrook Council agrees, culling does not work?"

"In our letter to the Minister, we strongly urge him to enforce the compliance terms of the Permit by refusing future permits," White stated.

SOURCE Animal Protection Party of Canada