"To a certain degree, almost like cruel fascism," said Jason Margolis a Mt. Lebanon resident.
Margolis said he's fired up over a plan to kill up to 150 deer in his township to help reduce their population.
He calls the deer cull inhumane and unnecessary.
"Mostly, a group of elite elitist people who want to protect their precious gardens and are not thinking of the larger community and the larger environment and what's really ethical and moral," said Margolis.
Before the discussion session and meeting, she and several dozen others, all bundled in hats and scarfs, gathered along Washington Road with signs of protest as passing motorists honked in support.
The crowd grew to close to 100 for the 8 p.m. meeting, when more than a dozen spoke against the culling and at least one woman, overwhelmed by emotion, spoke through tears.
In the meantime, the municipality is considering expanding its cull to certain private properties. Feller explained that on Feb. 23 he had learned of a federal law that required a 1,000-foot buffer zone around schools. He said a buffer of that size substantially reduced the area that could be used for the corral traps and could jeopardize the cull’s success.
Properties currently under consideration include Concordia of the South Hills on Bower Hill Road, the Golden LivingCenter on Gilkeson, a wooded area near the municipal swimming pool and a section of Williamsburg Park.
Brian Benner, a wildlife control specialist with Wildlife Services, explained these properties had been identified as areas heavily trafficked by deer. The most recent aerial deer survey found 50 deer in the valley behind Concordia, he said.
Isn't the valley behind Concordia in Scott Township? Isn't there a kindergarden and nursery school at Temple Emmanuel?
Gun-free school zones cut number of Mt. Lebanon baiting sites for deer culling in half
Under the law, parts of McNeilly Park are off-limits because of its proximity to Seton-La Salle. Part of the municipal golf course is too close to Keystone Oaks' Myrtle Elementary, and parts of Bird Park are too close to Markham Elementary, McDonough said. The program also includes municipal conservation land off Connor Road, Robb Hollow Park and Twin Hills Park.
THERE WILL BE NO DEER CULLING IN SCOTT TOWNSHIP
Statement from Golden Living - Mt. Lebanon
We appreciate your concern and have issued the following statement to our local media and several other concerned citizens:
Golden LivingCenter – Mt. Lebanon does not authorize deer trapping on our property. Our patients and residents enjoy seeing the wildlife, the deer have a history of being tame, and their presence is seen as a positive part of our patient care environment. To remove the deer in the manner proposed of killing them in sight of our patients would be very emotionally disruptive for our patients and adversely impact their care.
Thank you for your concern and for reaching out.
Best Regards,
Benjamin E Neil, MBA, NHA
Executive Director
Golden Living Center Mt. Lebanon
350 Old Gilkeson Road
Pittsburgh PA 15228
Ph: 412 257 4444
Fax: 412 257 8226