Last night a deer attempted to jump the green steel iron fence at Charles Evans Cemetery with the end result of the deer impaling itself according to an article in today’s Reading Eagle.
The deer had to be shot and killed by the Reading Police. The Game Commission had been called but “declined to respond” according to the article.
This isn’t the first time the Game Commission and the Reading Police were summoned to Charles Evans Cemetery involving deer.
In August 2008, I had written about a deer at Riverside Elementary School. At that time a small buck had successfully jumped the same fence and was found wandering the grounds of this school. At that time, the Reading Police and the Animal Rescue League were both called and said the situation had to be handled by the Game Commission. But this time, they (Game Commission) declined to help. Confused? So am I.
Nevertheless, a herd of deer has made this cemetery their home for years. Friends and other visitors to this cemetery have kept an eye on these deer for a long time. Although not a safety issue when inside the grounds of the cemetEry, they become a safety hazard when they find themselves outside of the grounds to motorists traveling Fifth Street and Centre Avenue as was the case the other day.
Given a small area such as this cemetery, deer, the prolific breeders they are, will eventually outgrow their given surroundings and habitat. Such is the case involving Charles Evans Cemetery.
What is the answer to this ever-growing problem? Do we have a hunt? Do we tranquilize them and transfer them to a better location outside of the city? Do we allow nature to take its course? And why doesn’t the Game Commission get involved with this issue?
Surely, if Charles Evans cemetery makes a decision not popular with the Game Commission, they will surely do Monday morning quarterbacking with penalties and fines. So why not work together with the cemetary NOW and handle this never-ending situation for everyone involved.