STATEN ISLAND — An animal-rights group launched a petition to save deer on Staten Island, a day after a federal government report suggested killing the animals.
New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets (NYCLASS), which has been fighting to ban horse carriages in the city, launched the petition to "Save the Staten Island Deer" on Tuesday.
It urges the city to look at other methods of curbing the borough's growing deer population.
"Hunting in New York City is neither a long-term nor a humane solution," said Allie Feldman, executive director of NYCLASS, in a statement.
"The most humane and effective way to manage deer populations is through immunocontraceptives, an easily-implemented solution already proven to manage deer populations on Fire Island. Leaders in New York City should use effective solutions like this in order to promote humane ways of managing wildlife populations."
As of Wednesday afternoon, the online petition had 76 signatures.
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a long-awaited draft environmental assessment for managing white-tail deer in New York state — including Staten Island, where their population recently exploded — that listed several lethal and non-lethal methods.
The proposed list of methods available to Wildlife Services include shooting, electric fencing, capture and relocating or killing them, as well as using pesticides to deter them.
The government agency will meet with local groups before deciding on the best tools to use and said it's usually best to have a mix of lethal and non-lethal methods.
The deer population on Staten Island has recently boomed, with an aerial survey done by the Parks Department last year finding nearly 800 of the animals in the borough.
The city announced plans to install "deer crossing" signs around the borough warning drivers about the animals.
The public can give public comment of the USDA's assessment until Jan. 15, 2016.
