Longueuil suspends deer cull as legal challenge proceeds in court

The deer cull planned for the City of Longueuil has now been put off.

The city had wanted to euthanize some 70 deer this fall, but an animal rights organization called Sauvetage Animal Rescue filed a lawsuit to put a stop to it, calling the city's plans "unnecessary and cruel slaughter" to control the deer population at Michel-Chartrand Park.

Since the case is before the court, the city is suspending its plans.

"We intend to make a commitment in court not to proceed with the capture and euthanasia of deer in the Michel-Chartrand Park until a court decides the matter," Louis-Pascal Cyr, a spokesperson for the City of Longueuil, told CTV News.

"Our goal is really to be able to make that debate in front of the judge in the best conditions possible, so … in the public space from now on, we’ll refrain from commenting because we will reserve that for a judge in a court hearing."

A local resident and lawyer Anne-France Goldwater are also supporting the animal rights group's legal challenge. 

With files from CTV News Montreal's Bogdan Lytvynenko

• 

  A deer is seen at the Michel-Chartrand Park in Longueuil, Que., Friday, November 13, 2020. City officials have been facing criticism after saying that they will have to kill half the white-tailed deer living in a municipal green space as efforts to control their population haven't worked. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)