Dear Editor:
I have been a resident of this community for 40 years and nothing has ever upset me as much as the proposed massacre of our town deer.
Look at the state of the world. Why must everything classified as wild die? The elephants die for their tusks, the sharks for their fins, the tigers for their magnificent hides, the baby seals so we can make boots, the wolves, the cougars on and on. Now the deer in Invermere, Cranbrook, Kimberly and the Okanagan become targets of the kill and why?
Because they damage peoples gardens and defend themselves and their young from the neighbours dog? They are beautiful, harmless, innocent creatures. If things continue as planned they receive the death penalty for nothing but a simple petty crime. Drunk drivers, child abusers and rapists receive a lesser penalty. Vicious dogs and skunks pose more of a hazard to Invermere residents than any deer.
In my opinion this goes beyond anything reasonable; nothing close to humane but barbaric. Who has the authority to wipe the deer off the face of the earth? Perhaps it is the wish of councils across western Canada to eradicate native wildlife. Will the bizarreness ever end?
Is this a lesson we want to teach our children? Is a humane murder not a contradiction in terms? Yes, better to make it quick and painless for sure, but a dead deer is still dead. How can you trap it, look into its big brown eyes, and put a bolt in its head ?
Could we not corral this misdirected murderous energy and redirect it into something productive, gainful and a credit to our community, rather than scar it worldwide? Lets get fences around the deer-prone gardens and build a rec centre for all to enjoy.
Is the reason for living in this valley not because of a desire to live close to nature? Otherwise people would choose to live in the concrete, animal-free zone of a city.
Sue Saunders, Invermere
