December 2009 Update: We're at a critical juncture: the Tick Borne Disease Action Committee (TBDAC) is very close to making a decision on whether or not to recommend deer culling in Newtown to the Board of Selectman.

Now is the time to voice your opposition to town officials and members of the TBDAC committee. If they don't hear from us, they will assume that the community supports deer culling.

Express your opposition to deer culling by:

• Calling Pat Llodra, Newtown First Selectman (203) 270-4201.
  Even if it's to leave a message as simple as "I'm calling to express my strong opposition to a town-sanctioned deer culling program." Or, write or send Selectman Llodra (3 Primrose Street, and first.selectman@newtown-ct.gov).
• Writing letters expressing your opposition to the Chairs of the Tick Borne Disease Action Committee. Chairman: Dr. Bob Grossman, 45 Mount Pleasant Rd., Newtown, CT 06470. Vice Chairman: Dr. Michele McLeod, 22 Still Hill Road, Sandy Hook, CT 06482.
• Send a Letter to the Editor to the Newtown Bee. Deadlines for letters are Wednesdays, 3pm. (editor@thebee.com).

If you want to make the greatest impact, call, write TBDAC Chairpersons AND send a Letter to Editor to the Newtown Bee. But please take the time to do at least ONE.

Review the facts: Reasons Why Deer Culls Don't work >>View

TBDAC Meetings: Tick Borne Diseases Action Committee meeting are open to the public. Committee meets Wednesdays at 8:00pm at the Booth Library in Newtown >>view town meeting calendar

Not able to attend the meetings? Keep up by reading the minutes. >>view Tick Borne Disease AC minutes

Are Deer the Culprit in Lyme Disease? Several recent studies in New York and New Jersey have found no connection between populations of deer and ticks. New York Times, July 29, 2009. >>More

Residents had no say in Brookfield hunt
Danbury News Times, 10/01/2009

Autumn is the time to walk in our "protected" open spaces to enjoy one of the most beautiful times of year. As a 17-year resident of Brookfield, I feel like I am being denied this enjoyment because the controlled deer hunt is underway. This hunt will take place from Sept. 15 through Jan. 31.
The residents of Brookfield did not have any say in this decision, as it has been made by a few people who believe they are protecting us from Lyme Disease. Where will this kind of logic end? Will we be killing songbirds next to prevent Avian Flu?

I grew up in rural upstate New York, and several members of my extended family were hunters. I still can't figure out when the word hunter started being used for people who bait animals, hide in trees and shoot them while they feed. This doesn't make those areas designated for "passive recreation" very inviting, although we have been told that we may continue to use them.

My hope is that the Lyme Disease Task Force will realize that slaughtering deer is not the answer and they will begin to put pressure on our government and the pharmaceutical industry to come up with a vaccine for Lyme Disease, as well as educate people about prevention.

Newtown is currently making decisions about hunting. The people of Newtown have something different from those of us in Brookfield. They have the opportunity to voice opinions and share concerns before this decision is made.

I hope they utilize this civilized and democratic approach and express thoughts and feelings to town officials before it is too late. The end result may be the same, but at least they were given a voice in their community.

Penny Schnell, Brookfield, CT

STUDENTS TAKE ACTION TO STOP DEER "BAIT & SHOOT" PROGRAMS IN NEWTOWN

When the students in Newtown High School's Animal Concerns & Vegetarian Club learned about the proposed deer "bait and shoot" programs being presented to town officials, they rallied to raise awareness among their fellow students in the form of a petition. To date, more than 400 high school students have signed the petition (pictured above with students), which expresses strong opposition to the "bait and shoot" programs.

Says Alissa Silber, Founder of the Animal Concerns & Vegetarian Club, "We started the deer culling petition because we have a voice and the deer don't. We as high schoolers are old enough to be educated on this issue and know it's wrong. We have been investigating the facts and don't believe a senseless deer massacre will reduce the Lyme disease outbreak or the tick population. Just because other towns have been misinformed, only hearing the hunters point of view and their biased facts, doesn't mean Newtown has to be misinformed. By educating the high schoolers with this petition, they in turn will pass it along to their parents, who are the town voters, and we'll all be able to make a difference in saving all the beautiful innocent deer from an unnecessary slaughter. We need to make an effort to find a humane way to control the tick population and it can start with Newtown."

Thank you, Animal Concerns & Vegetarian Club, for raising awareness of this important community matter among the high school students and their parents.

JOIN US: If you live in a Connecticut town that is proposing deer culls or has performed deer culls and you would like to join our grassroots efforts, please contact us today.

OTHER GROUPS FIGHTING DEER CULLS:

California
Friends of the White Deer
http://www.fotwd.org/

Stop the Deer Hunt in Granite Bay and Loomis, CA
http://www.placerdeerhunt.com/

Connecticut
CT No Arrows No Bullets
http://www.ct-nab.info

WildlifeEducationCoalition.org
http://www.wildlifeeducationcoalition.org

Maryland
Deer Solutions MD
http://deersolutionsmd.com

Annapolis for Animals (AFA)
http://www.annapolisforanimals.org/

Animal Advocates of Howard County
http://www.animal-advocates.org/

Missouri
Urban Deer in the City of Town & Country
http://www.urbandeer.info/

New York
CayugaDeer.org
http://www.cayugadeer.org

Long Island Area: Linda Heinberg

North Carolina
STAND
http://www.straightalkaboutdeer.com

Pennsylvania
Coalition for Neighborhood Safety and Awareness

http://www.saveeastgoshen.com

http://www.safetyfirstforeastgoshen.org

This website is put together by the "WildlifeEducationCoalition.org" We are a group of concerned citizens who wish to see conflicts with wildlife managed in a scientific, safe, effective, and positive way. The Newtown deer "management" issue is our main priority.

This website will serve as a clearinghouse to set forth the information that has been omitted on deer culls by the anti-deer groups, as well as ground zero for public communication for those in our community who wish to stay informed about the latest developments on Newtown's Deer Management Task Force. If you would like to join our educational outreach effort and be informed of opportunities where your input can make a difference. Our email address is: