Animal rights groups to appeal court decision allowing Longueuil deer cull
Two animal rights groups wasted little time in announcing they intend to challenge a Superior Court decision rendered Tuesday that allows the City of Longueuil to proceed with the culling of nearly 100 deer in one of its biggest parks.
The Montreal SPCA and Sauvetage Animal Rescue both said Wednesday evening they would seek leave to appeal to the Quebec Court of Appeal to stop the crossbow hunt of the overpopulated animals from going ahead this fall in Michel-Chartrand Park, on Montreal's South Shore.
The SPCA, which has intervener status in the years-long legal battle, said in a news release that the court "made several errors in its analysis" when it concluded that the inconveniences that would be suffered by the city would outweigh those of the plaintiffs in the case if the planned cull would be suspended.
"The case of the deer in Michel-Chartrand Park is emblematic of an issue that is becoming more prevalent in Quebec, and our intervention aims to broaden the debate and trigger a real reflection on the responsible and ethical management of wildlife in our communities," said Sophie Gaillard, the SPCA's acting executive director and head of legal affairs.
The animal welfare groups had argued that the deer could be relocated instead of killed to solve the overcrowding problems, but the city said that would bring more problems since their domestication in Longueuil made them too vulnerable to predators.
Some residents have also complained that the deer jump over the park's fence and eat cedar trees on the city streets.
Anne-France Goldwater, Sauvetage Animal Rescue's lawyer, said the court ought to have placed greater emphasis on the deer as sentient beings with distinguished rights.
"Here, the outrage that this inspires in me is that for a matter that they think is a 'nuisance' because too much of the shrubbery and saplings in the forest are being eaten — therefore, let's kill the deer," she said in an interview Wednesday evening.
"It makes no sense to me in the year 2022 we can have such a complacent attitude about our own environment."
Goldwater said she's hoping to have an emergency hearing in court as early as Friday.
The City of Longueuil said Tuesday following the Superior Court ruling that it would go ahead with the culling of the herd.
"The complete Response Plan, including the dates of the park's closure and the other procedures to be deployed, will be communicated to the population shortly, before the start of the hunting seasons," the city said in a news release.
"The City will not issue any further comment."
With files from CTV Montreal's Matt Grillo
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.