Saddle River residents said Tuesday that they wanted the town to use only non-lethal methods to control the population. But they also voted in favor of killing them.
SADDLE RIVER -- Residents said Tuesday that they wanted the town to use only non-lethal methods to control the population. But they also voted in favor of killing them.
Confused?
The borough posed two questions to voters on Election Day. The first asked if the town should adopt a deer management policy, "limited to the use of non-lethal methods only."
More voters in the wealthy north Jersey town said yes -- 715 of them to 457 people who said no, according to unofficial ballot results.
The second question asked the opposite, if voters were in favor of adopting a policy that "includes the use of lethal methods." Again, more voters said yes -- 582 to 544.
Neither question was binding.
Saddle River, where the average home is listed for just under $2 million, is home to corporate bosses, sports stars, musicians and actors. It's also where too many four-legged, bushy tailed creatures live, officials have said.
The Board of Health has deemed the increasing deer population a health risk.
The mayor and city council will take the vote into consideration when determining a strategy, according to the materials accompanying the ballot question.
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Mayor Al Kurpis said Thursday that the matter was up to the council to decide. He also said an aerial survey would be performed now that the trees have lost leaves to determine how many deer live in Saddle River.
Kurpis said the issue has been discussed for quite "a while." For at least more than a year, officials have talked about the options, from bow hunting to neutering.
"We don't want to wait until there's an accident, we want to make sure we're protecting the public and having their interests at the heart of the matter while also keeping in mind the animals and their right to coexist," Kurpis said.
At least two council members said that residents seemed to be more in favor of the non-lethal options since overall there were 715 who wanted only non-lethal options compared to the 582 who would like lethal methods to be considered.
"The referendum results seem to reflect a desire of Saddle River residents to have fewer deer within the borough. I also believe more residents are in favor of a non-lethal solution, though many are in favor of a lethal solution," Councilman Paul Schulstad said in an email. "I encourage the Mayor and the Wildlife Management Committee to again explore the non-lethal options that may be available and report back to the Council and the public at the earliest possible time."
Kurpis said he would discuss the topic in his report at the council's next meeting, scheduled for Nov. 14.
Birth control, such as surgical sterilization, are better ways to control the population, said Angi Metler, executive director of the Animal Protection League of New Jersey.
Dr. Dean Cerf, a local veterinarian, said he is willing to perform the procedures with no cost to taxpayers and a foundation would fund the cost of the supplies.
He said he would vaccinate female deer with a contraceptive vaccine that is good for up to two years and perform vasectomies on the males. If the council approved the plan, he'd have to get a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.
"We were very, very pleased their answer to the first question got an overwhelming response," Metler said. "I think the voters could've been confused by the second question."
Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.