Commissioners pass ban on feeding deer along party lines

Section of ordinance called into question

Ross residents who feed deer — as well as possibly birds, feral cats and other animals — will have the force of the law against them.

Commissioners on Aug. 20 passed an ordinance that bans the feeding of deer within the township.

However, one commissioner and some residents pointed out that one section of the ordinance prohibits putting out any device for other animals if the result is that deer eat from that device.

“So now it’s illegal to feed the birds in Ross Township?” asked resident Lisa Herbert. “I don’t feed the deer. My mother feeds the birds. Don’t make that illegal.”

The ordinance passed 6-2 along party lines, with Commissioners Jack Betkowski, Joe Laslavic, Dan DeMarco, Patrick Mullin, Jason Pirring and president Steve Korbel voting in favor. All are Democrats. Commissioners Rick Avon and Grace Stanko, both Republicans, voted no. Jeremy Shaffer was absent.

“I don’t want any more laws on me,” Mr. Avon said. “I don’t think it’s right that people not be allowed to feed birds. How enforceable is it? Are we going to stop everybody who puts bread out?”

Mrs. Stanko said her Fifth Ward constituents also were against the ordinance. “They don’t want this. They don’t want more government telling them what to do in their home and in their backyard.”

She added that her ward does not have much of a deer problem.

But commissioners who voted for the ordinance said that they feel an obligation to look out for the health and welfare of the residents because of the threat of Lyme disease.

Mr. Korbel said his daughter contracted Lyme disease from a tick this summer, even though deer cannot get into his fencedin yard. Mr. Pirring said one of his dogs died from Lyme disease, and the other dog contracted it from being in his backyard.

“This is difficult for me. It’s my obligation … as an elected official to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the township,” Mr. DeMarco said.

He added that there are ways to feed other animals but not feed deer.

“If you simply figure out how to feed other animals without allowing the deer to be fed, then the ordinance is not being violated,” he said.

Mr. Korbel said the proliferation of deer is one of the top three complaints that he gets each year from residents.

“It is not healthy for the deer if we are feeding them,” he said. “We are helping to support an unnatural population of deer in the township.”

Residents were split on the issue.

Wesley Semple said he did not have a problem with deer for most of the time he has lived in his house. “Today, it is just horrendous.”

He said he was diagnosed with Lyme disease in early July, and still is on antibiotics. “I have all kinds of pain,” he said. “I don’t want any other people to get Lyme disease.”

Linda Snyder said she traps feral cats under the trap/neuter/return program, and must put out food to attract the cats. That would be prohibited in the ordinance