The headline Bye-Bye Bambi (News Nov. 15) was in my opinion in extremely poor taste.
Seeing that Oak Bay has decided to kill the deer, why not tell it like it is. Young readers may just think the deer are going away and unless they read the story are not aware that they are to be brutally slaughtered in a most horrific way.
It is a shame that council has decided to slaughter some 25 deer, especially when other options are available. I know that relocation is not a viable option but there are others.
Obviously the mayor and council are heeding the cries of a minority who want these so-called nuisances killed. Because a hungry deer wants to take an apple from your tree or a tulip head from your garden is it a nuisance? If I walk into an orchard and take an apple am I a nuisance? The deer are not intent on destroying your gardens, merely trying to survive.
Does council truly believe that removing 25 deer will create a void? Thirty-three were lost to car accidents and where is the void? Although they are trying to make it seem that way, car/deer accidents are not unique to Oak Bay.
It would be prudent for council to contact other towns where a limited number were killed and see how many have returned in their place. From my understanding, many more.
One councillor stated that there are approximately 250 deer in Oak Bay. That equates to about one deer per 40 homes. Is that overpopulation? Hardly.
Maybe a cull is the answer but the method that will be used is extremely inhumane. And the fact there is no discrimination as to age or sex is equally wrong. Do you feel good about killing a young innocent fawn?
Does Oak Bay want to become infamous as the community that killed the deer? Already this story has gone viral and it does not look good for the community.
I could honestly state that there are a lot of very unhappy people living in Oak Bay because of this decision.
Sadly this whole scheme will come to a bad ending for more than just the deer.
George A Barrows
Oak Bay