Lakeway Wildlife Advisory Committee proposes hold on deer management program

Following years of controversy over Lakeway's deer management program, Mayor Sandy Cox formed a new Wildlife Advisory Committee to assess the heavy population of deer in the area.

On August 4, the committee voted unanimously to recommend the city suspend the trap, transport and process program. According to the city's deer activity log, last year the city spent more than $24,000 dollars on the removal program.

Residents have experienced damage to property and car accidents involving deer.

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However, the TTP program was brought to light in March after a video surfaced showing city-contract deer trappers capturing deer outside a Lakeway woman's home.

Rita Cross, President of Citizen Advocates for Animals, said the suspension will allow for more research to be done. "I am thrilled i can't tell you how happy i am because in my opinion there's never any good reason to treat any animal cruelly," Cross said. "If our deer population does continue to increase then we are hoping we can use humane methods of deer management."

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The advisory committee also voted to select a wildlife biologist to continue doing research on the issue moving forward. The proposal to suspend the trap, transport and process program will be presented before council on August 20.