Animal rights activists want to take Longueuil, Quebec to court over deer cull
Animal rights activists have filed a lawsuit against the City of Longueuil and the Quebec government for what they are calling an "unnecessary and cruel slaughter" to control the deer population at Michel-Chartrand Park in the borough of Le Vieux-Longueuil.
The lawsuit is being led by Sauvetage Animal Rescue, alongside a local resident and lawyer Anne-France Goldwater.
"There are organizations like our friends at the wildlife protection group Sauvetage Animal Rescue who have developed and continue to develop expertise in order to save these animals," said Goldwater. "There are municipalities that have come forward and are willing to receive many of these animals on vast tracts of protected land."
Goldwater is accusing the City of Longueuil of years of "inaction," saying current solutions proposed "are not without some risk to the deer but are certainly better than a mass slaughter."
Last November, Longueuil, one of Quebec's largest cities, returned to its original plan to cull the deer population at Michel-Chartrand Park by euthanizing the excess population and donating the meat to local food banks.
The recommendation was made as part of a report by a committee in charge of analyzing the best way to sustain the park's overall ecosystem.
It was composed of local residents, environmental organizations, as well as university and governmental experts.
Some of the issues discovered by the committee include "trees devastated by the emerald ash borer, proliferation of invasive exotic species, overpopulation of [malnourished] deer and those consequences on the regeneration of the flora," it said.
Sauvetage Animal Rescue is now proposing a new plan to treat the deer.
This would include:
- Trapping and treating them for parasites before evaluating their health for travel;
- Neutering them;
- Transporting and releasing the ones cleared for travel to new locations;
- Providing long-term veterinary care and feeding them.
"Our group has been encouraging the city and the ministry to work together to find a humane solution for more than two years now," said Éric Dussault, general manager of Sauvetage Animal Rescue. "We have always been ready to help with our expertise and our equipment, but unfortunately, a certain administrative burden has slowed us down."
Goldwater is now petitioning the Quebec Superior Court to force the Ministry of Forests, Fauna and Parks (MFFP) and the City of Longueuil to avoid euthanizing any deer until the case is heard.
She says she also wants the governments to work with experts "who have a humane alternative plan to culling available," while complying with Quebec’s Animal Welfare and Safety Act.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.