To: Mayor and Councillors of Invermere:
mayor@invermere.net; councillorAnderson@invermere.net; councillorAtterbury@invermere.net; councillorDenchuk@invermere.net; councillorHawes@invermere.net;
The Vancouver-based ecology organization, Lifeforce, did not receive any response to their previous offer to help find humane methods to address any urban deer problems.
As you know, BC Premier Christy Clark and her Liberal government have issued three permits to kill up to 225 deer in Cranbrook, Kimberly and Invermere. Grand Forks is also considering killing deer. The scared, frightened deer would be trapped then a bolt driven through their skulls. Government claims that it is like a slaughter house with domestic animals are not true since these are wild animals who will struggle to escape (Animals in slaughter houses suffer too. See horse slaughter: http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/lpn.html ).
The BC Government refused to even discuss Lifeforce’s offer to try humane deterrents to prevent deer and human conflicts.
The Provincial Agriculture Zone Wildlife Program told Lifeforce that they have issued to date:
- City of Cranbrook was issued a deer cull permit for 25 Mule or White-tailed Deer on November 8, 2011.
- City of Kimberley was issued a deer cull permit for up to a combined total of 100 Mule or White-tailed Deer on November 17, 2011; and
- The District of Invermere was issued a deer cull permit for up to a combined total of 100 Mule or White-tailed Deer on November 22, 2011.
All 25 deer have been trapped and inhumanely killed in Cranbrook. Kimberley started in January and have killed at 101 deer. Shortly after February 24th Invermere started killing deer.
Killing deer who are defending themselves and their fawns from roaming dogs and human intruders is cruel. Deer will obviously try to protect their fawns from animal and humans. This is barbaric in view of modern technology that have been developed and a better understanding of deer behaviours. The trapping and killing with a captive bolt pistol is extremely cruel.
Deterrents are available to remove deer from any problem city areas. This includes educational programs to stop feeding deer, eliminating food attractors, keeping dogs on leashes, sterilization and so on.
We the undersign support a worldwide boycott of any city in British Columbia, Canada that kill the urban deer. Shortly after February 24th Invermere started killing deer. We ask your city to implement humane, non-lethal methods to address any concerns. Will Invermere cancel your kill permit? I will boycott Invermere if you continue to kill innocent "urban deer"!
