National Park Service Must Reconsider Shooting Deer
May 13, 2022
Washington, DC— Against the wishes of DC elected officials and leading activist groups, theNational Park Service (NPS) is moving forward with the decision to shoot deer to combatoverpopulation. In 2021, US Representative Oye Owolewa (DC), Ward 3 Council member MaryCheh, Ward 7 Council member Vince Gray, ANC 8C Chairman Salim Adofo, ANC 7B06Commissioner Kelvin Brown and DC Voters for Animals provided separate statementssupporting alternative and more humane methods to manage wildlife such as contraceptives.Shooting wild deer is not only wasteful, but it contradicts the District’s mission to end gunviolence. Evidence suggests sterilization, in the long run, is just as efficient and proves lesscostly. It should be noted that the bodies of killed deer will not be consumed and subsequentlybe trashed as garbage. This plan hurts our environment by causing unnecessary hardship andruns contrary to DC culture and values.