D Deer Committee Report C i R Feb. 12, 2013 Feb. 12, 2013 B a - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

D Deer Committee Report C i R Feb. 12, 2013 Feb. 12, 2013 B a c k g r o u n d k d S e p t . 11, 2 0 12 TN T5 m e e t i n g o n d e e r • Co m m i t t e e f o r m e d t o s t u d y d e e r • p r o b l e m 5 5 6 r e s p o n s e s r e c e i v e d f r o m s u r v e y 6 i d f •

Deer Committee Report – Feb. 12, 2013 Survey results % SEE % EVERY RESPONSES DAILY FEW DAYS % LYME+ % CAR+ M Meadowbrook d b k 293 35 41 7 14 Near Eastside 2 0 0 0 0 Outer Comstock 32 13 22 9 6 Salt Springs Salt Springs 47 47 17 17 38 38 4 4 32 32 University 78 9 36 9 6 University Hill 1 100 0 0 0 Westcott Westcott 103 103 8 8 24 24 11 11 10 10 Grand Total 556 23 36 8 13

Deer Committee Report – Feb. 12. 2013 Sample of responses on Lyme disease  - I got Lym e disease in June, 2009. I know I w as bitten w hile w orking in m y front yard garden. Fortunately I w as diagnosed early by m y daughter & w as successfully treated w ith antibiotics. I am not convinced m y doctor w ould have found the bite if I hadn't gone to the office w ith the diagnosis. (The bite w as in the crease behind m y knee ) I spent that entire sum m er suffering and recovering from crease behind m y knee.) I spent that entire sum m er suffering and recovering from the disease & continue to get regular blood tests to be sure it is under control. It w as a horrible experience I w ouldn't w ish on anyone and believe w e should do all w e can to control the carrier, deer.  - My next door neighbor spends a significant am ount of m oney saving his one year old dog from the disease. I treat m y dogs and fam ily m em bers w ith antibiotics each tim e there is a tick bite. This is not som ething I w ish to do, but w ith the threat so high in the area to begin w ith, no am ount of preventative m easures are helping control the problem control the problem .  - I tested positive for Lym e disease and w as in the hospital for a w eek. The Lym e disease triggered an autoim m une disease that I am still being treated for, and it has turned into a long-term condition has turned into a long-term condition.

Deer Committee Report – Feb. 12, 2013 Sampling of responses from open-ended questions  - The back half of our yard is unusable due to the am ount of scat they leave. My children are not able to play in their ow n yard, due to the scat and w e fear ticks carrying Lym e disease (one of our neighbors found a deer tick on her ticks carrying Lym e disease (one of our neighbors found a deer tick on her cat). We have tried several m ethods to deter the deer from com ing into our yard, all unsuccessful.  - Unfortunately as m uch as I like deer, I feel the problem in our area has f l h lik d f l h bl i h gotten out of control. The destruction of property and safety concerns for drivers really needs the attention of our elected officials.  - The deer have destroyed shrubs w hich w ere planted long before w e purchased our property in 1989. This past year w e put in a perm anent deer fence around the garden at a cost of $1650.00. f g f 5

Deer Committee Report – Feb. 12, 2013 Sampling of responses from open-ended questions ( (continued) i d)  - They've m ade it im possible for us to have a vegetable garden. They seem to eat everything except hot peppers. We have had a vegetable garden for over y g p p pp g g f 25 years, and this year w e gave up.  - The deer invasion into residential areas MUST BE STOPPED! By any m eans! The devastation and the health/ safety risks carried are too high to tolerate! It The devastation and the health/ safety risks carried are too high to tolerate! It feels like living in a Hitchcock w orld... Yet, w orse, the city "codes" prevent us to build any defense, including a sim ple, alm ost invisible net!?  - The deer are looking very thin and unhealthy. The herd should be m anaged so the healthy survive. There should be a special tax for this area to help solve the deer issues. If w e do nothing the problem w ill only keep getting w orse. The sooner w e can get som e action the better for the deer and the residents. g f

Deer Committee Report – Feb. 12, 2013 Comments in support of the deer  - We really enjoy the deer, and they do not com e into our backyard because it is fenced in for our dogs, but w e have no fancy landscaping and no vegetable garden because w e know it w ill just get eaten by the deer That is fine w ith us garden because w e know it w ill just get eaten by the deer. That is fine w ith us.  - We have a w ooded lot. Deer pass frequently. They are relatively harm less. We have m ore im portant issues to focus our lim ited resources on. We have m o e im po tant issues to focus ou lim ited esou ces on.  - Let them live; enjoy them . Put up deer Xing signs on Euclid. Tell people w hat plants not to plant. p p  - Killing unacceptable; m ove deer or spray to encourage them to m ove

Deer Committee Report – Feb. 12, 2013 Recommendations  TNT5 should begin to work with its legislators and/ or relevant city agencies to formulate and then implement a y g p deer-management plan.  If costs prove prohibitive, City should create a special tax district to pay for deer management di t i t t f d t  A city agency should initiate a program to educate residents on how to protect plantings on how to protect plantings  The city should allow eight foot fences on side and rear yards

Deer Committee Report – Feb. 12, 2013 Findings  High level of concern and frustration with number of deer  Problem needs to be addressed sooner rather than later Problem needs to be addressed sooner rather than later  Overall environmental imbalance  Disease and sanitation  Deer/ vehicle accidents  Damage to flora and other property  Psychic impact of the deer infestation

Recommendations (continued)  The County Health Department should educate residents regarding Lyme disease g g y  A deer management plan could eventually be used in other areas of the city.

Deer Committee Report – Feb. 12, 2013 Questions or com m ents