End Cruelties of Scottish Deer Cull

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Singer James ‘Arg’ Argent’s December 17th Tweet told only part of the story:

Guys iv had a serious car crash in Dundee, I am ok and on the way back home to Essex. This has really taught me some things, Love you all! X

Pictures of the blood-spattered, mangled vehicle showed how serious the accident was.

After a performance at Dundee University, Arg, his manager and their driver were heading to the airport. At 5:30 a.m. the road was still shrouded in darkness. Suddenly a deer bounded in front of the vehicle. The driver swerved but could not avoid hitting the deer. A car coming the other way struck it again. Although they could not find it afterward, Argent said they assumed the deer died of its injuries.

7,000 Collisions a Year

The accident made Argent another cipher in Scottish statistics that report 7,000 deer-related collisions every year. In an ironic twist, the country’s push to establish more forested areas and greenbelts has resulted in both lush habitat and killing fields. Biodiversity has increased the number of roe and sika deer. Along with that have come interactions between the deer on one side and vehicles, gardens and pets on the other.

Recent harsh winters have also pushed deer into lower altitudes and into areas where humans run into them, figuratively and literally. So the Scottish parliament enacted new legislation that requires councils to have policies for dealing with wildlife, including culling.

Deer stalking (hunting) has a long tradition in Scotland, but even those who view it as sport are questioning what is happening now in the name of keeping deer numbers in check. Reports by walkers and gamekeepers are raising serious concerns about the way in which culling is being carried out.

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Photo credit: Thinkstock

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Ann S.

5:54PM PST on Jan 12, 2012

Sickening, just as are the wolf hunts in our own country.

send a green star

Julia T.

11:27AM PST on Jan 8, 2012

Sounds like Pennsylvania

Katherine W.

9:31AM PST on Jan 4, 2012

The only culling I'm in favor of is..................................people. Please make sure you sign this petition and let our voices be heard.

Carrie Anne B.

6:46AM PST on Jan 3, 2012

thanks for sharing

colleen p.

4:17AM PST on Jan 3, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB99Ih3pvnQ what to hunt humans? join the army. weeee

hurr. how many people here care?

Charles T.

10:15AM PST on Dec 31, 2011

how many of you have had to put down a deer crippled by a car and then being eaten alive by dogs and coyotes?

how many of you have even seen a starving deer?

hell, how many of you even know what a wild critter is unless its in a zoo or on tv?

culling isn't as good as allowing hunting but killing such animals quickly is far better than the slow miserable death that will happen without human intervention. The majority of hunters aim to make their kills cleanly and will use their kills also.

Lori E.

10:53AM PST on Dec 29, 2011

Signed

jan m.

9:11PM PST on Dec 27, 2011

As an American, I am ashamed at what we do to the wildlife in this country as well as what other countries do. We have rattlesnake roundups and all the snakes are beheaded:( in the guise of a festival. Just because they are reptiles? We should be the ones who should be controlling our population instead, we are destroying our wildlife.

Maureen H.

5:43PM PST on Dec 27, 2011

Just signed petition re americans killing wolves and come across Scots culling deer. As a Scot I am ashamed of my country and myself. As a Scot I always believed we were better- fairer if you like than the rest of the planet. we Scots will remeber "Wee cowerin' timorous beastie, O what a panic in thy breastie." If Burns could address a mouse in this way(and we love the poem) what should we be prepared to do for the deer? SAVE THEM. Of course.

Alicia N.

10:04AM PST on Dec 25, 2011

petition signed