The Trib's featured commentary tonight is by Lebo Citizens reader and Mt. Lebanon resident, Jason Margolis.

Resolving Mt. Lebo's deer management

 

By Jason Margolis

Monday, July 13, 2015, 9:00 p.m.

The Mt. Lebanon deer-management issue is about to erupt again as the commissioners' “cooling off” period has come to a quick end. To some, the Mt. Lebanon deer “problem” is a mirage — a phantom notion of the vapid and excessive. To others, it is a real public crisis, threatening both property and life.

While there are serious questions about whether it is possible to target deer within a particular community (deer know no borders and, unlike children, are not assigned to school districts) rather than a larger area (e.g., an Allegheny County deer-management plan), it is time for the two warring sides to meet in the middle.

With this in mind, I propose the following:

(1) No lethal methods be used within Mt. Lebanon. Killing strategies that would target only the deer in parks are too inhumane and ineffective (e.g., culling — which failed in March 2015) and other methods like sharpshooting are too dangerous to humans in such a densely-populated area. Rejecting lethal methods of deer management will also remove many of the moral and ethical objections articulated by those opposed to past Mt. Lebo management means.

Taking deer-killing off the table is the only way to keep our family-oriented parks and backyards peaceful, enjoyable and nonviolent, as they were intended.

(2) Use sterilization as the primary management method, supplemented by other approaches (promoting deer-resistant plans, enforcing the speed limit, public education). Methods of sterilization have advanced significantly. This method certainly is safer for humans and more humane for animals.

(3) Supplement the greater expenses for this approach with privately raised funds and veterinarian volunteers.

There is a model for such private-public partnerships in Mt. Lebo (for example, the also highly controversial artificial turf project). The Mt. Lebo deer cull in March was infamous regionally and nationally. A “GoFundMe” campaign likely would garner significant donations at this point.

The approach outlined above honors both those who believe the deer are truly a problem in Mt. Lebanon as well as those against guns and bloodshed for humans and animals. It is also fiscally responsible.

Inevitably, some from both sides will argue that sterilizing deer is against nature. But I would expect that very few would claim the same about a woman taking the pill or a man getting a vasectomy. These approaches have evolved to assist humanity in controlling the population in humane ways.

As humans, we are hardwired to solve complex problems through individual ingenuity and community collaboration. Unfortunately, we are also hardwired for conflict — particularly when in a state of fear.

At the apex of our human capabilities, we bring together multiple viewpoints to find a reasonable middle ground.

A community like Mt. Lebanon should give us no less than the best we have to offer.

And in the case of Mt. Lebanon deer management, this middle, reasonable path would be: sterilization partially funded through private donations.

Jason Margolis is an educator. He lives in Mt. Lebanon.

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