EAST LANSING, Mich. — Starting next month, the city of East Lansing plans to cull off at least 100 deer in public places around the city.
Some community members are concerned because at least one of the places where they'll be culling, the East Lansing Aquatic Center, is about 1,000 feet away from another place where rescued and rehabbed deer live.
“To come in and start to cull deer that are located a half a mile from where I am required to release my fawns here. For them to come in a kill deer a half a mile from where they are released just doesn’t make any sense,” said Cheryl Connell-Marsh.
Connell-Marsh runs a wildlife preservation and rehabilitation center called the Nottingham Nature Nook which is about 1,000 feet from where some of the culling will happen.
She cares for all kinds of local wildlife like foxes, birds, squirrels and deer and when they are strong enough, she releases them to live out their lives.
Connell-Marsh says she’s taken her concerns to city leaders but fears many of the animals she’s raised will be cut down.
“Look at the parks that are more in the center of East Lansing. I know for places like Meridian Township, they have a different set up but they do it more in terms of extending their season for their hunters. The thought of bringing in sharp shooters which chase these deer into a line of sharp shooters, it’s a death nothing should have to experience,” said Connell-Marsh.
Connell-Marsh says she started a petition last year to change the way the city does its deer culling but never got a response from city leaders.
Now she’s hoping her recent complaint to city council will make a difference, but so far she hasn't heard back.
City officials did not respond to FOX 47's request for comment.
The culling is due to start next week.
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