Deer Sterilization Denounced

Members of the East Hampton Group for Wildlife delivered a withering appraisal of East Hampton Village’s deer-management activities and of White Buffalo, the Connecticut organization it hired to conduct a deer-sterilization program, at the village board’s meeting on Friday. 

White Buffalo sterilized some 114 does in the winter of 2015, and returned to the village in November to continue its operation, adding another 95 deer, including 50 bucks, to the total. To date, the village has spent approximately $190,000 on the program, which is intended to span five years. 

Last spring, several of the sterilized does died, some while attempting to birth stillborn fawns, others as a consequence of capture or surgery. 

“I was saddened and totally disgusted by the mutilation of deer,” said Beverly Schanzer of Sag Harbor, a member of the wildlife group, “especially when the possibility of safe, noninvasive immunization” exists. She urged the board to support immunization, and also suggested lowering speed limits to help avoid collisions with the animals. Accidents caused by deer are often cited to advocate thinning the herd. 

While commending the board for “what you consider nonlethal and humane” methods, Betsy Petroski of the village said that “the sterilization program last winter seems to be anything but humane.” She complained of a lack of oversight of surgeries conducted in a shed used by the village’s Department of Public Works, in conditions she called unsanitary, and the subsequent release of the animals into last winter’s particularly harsh weather conditions. 

A better solution, Ms. Petroski suggested, was to “get behind a less invasive contraception program, possibly in coordination with the town.” 

Yuka Silvera of East Hampton complained that “you didn’t consider our views before hiring White Buffalo,” prompting the wildlife group to sue the village “to stop this cruel sterilization.” That lawsuit was ruled moot earlier this month, as the village has yet to rehire White Buffalo for the next phase of the program, which could commence in the fall. At present, the village has neither a contract with White Buffalo nor a valid license from the State Department of Environmental Conservation, Becky Molinaro, the village administrator, said in an email on Friday. 

Regardless, in soliciting donations for a fund-raiser the Group for Wildlife held last month, “so many people had no idea that White Buffalo have been hurting our deer, and they were all absolutely disgusted about the cruelty,” Ms. Silvera said. “Deer have a right to live and we want to enjoy living with them in harmony.” She asked the board to abandon the three years remaining in the sterilization plan. Instead, she suggested an immuno-contraception program such as was adopted in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., with assistance from Tufts University’s Center for Animals and Public Policy. 

Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. said that “we accept with humility the comments.” Citing continued growth of the village and attendant vehicle traffic, deer-human conflict will only continue, he said. “At the right point in time we will invite you to possibly be part of a continuing discussion” of how to address that conflict. “Give us a little credit for trying to do something. We can’t just cut the cord and say it’s going to end. But we hear you.” 

In other news from the meeting, the board adopted three amendments to the code pertaining to vehicles and traffic. One amendment limits parking along the rear row of the parking lot at the Lamb-Baker House, at 88 Newtown Lane, to two hours, and the front row to official village business only. At the board’s Dec. 3 work session, Richard Lawler told his board colleagues that village employees with offices in the building were sometimes unable to find space in the lot for their own cars.

Another amendment prohibits parking on the west side of North Main Street between the intersection of Talmage Lane and a distance 25 feet to the south. The third limits parking to one hour between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. from the aforementioned point to an additional 100 feet to the south. The latter amendments are intended to improve sightlines for motorists turning from Talmage Lane onto North Main Street.