EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) - Amid staunch opposition from animal-rights groups, a wealthy Long Island community has withdrawn from a federal program that would have used sharpshooters to thin an oversized deer population.
Animal-welfare advocates had filed a lawsuit against East Hampton over its plan to thin the herd.
The New York Times reports (https://nyti.ms/1i3V19m ) that both the village and town of East Hampton decided Friday to withdraw from the plan.
The goal of the federally funded sharpshooter program was to eliminate 2,000 to 3,000 deer this year from a population officials have put at 25,000 to 35,000.
Long Island’s deer have caused car accidents and Lyme disease, which is borne by deer ticks. They also eat crops and landscaping.
East Hampton Village Administrator Becky Molinaro says the village will look at alternatives including sterilization.
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Information from: The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com
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