This browser does not support the Video element.
Arlington weighs sharpshooters to control deer overpopulation
Arlington County weighing using sharpshooters to take care of its overpopulation of deer. FOX 5's Tisha Lewis has learned that the county’s board could decide as soon as Saturday on a proposal that would allow contractors to kill deer on public land.
ARLINGTON COUNTY, Va. - Arlington County has a deer overpopulation problem – and the answer could be sharpshooters.
Arlington County's board is planning to vote on a proposal that would allow contract sharpshooters to kill deer on public land. It would be a first for Arlington County.
Several counties nationwide, including in upstate New York and in other areas around the DMV, have similar sharpshooter programs in place to address the overpopulation of deer.
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington are staunch opponents of any plan or proposal to kill deer running amok. Instead, they support non-lethal options, including sterilization.
FOX 5 reached out to the county, and they declined to comment ahead of Saturday’s meeting and potential vote.
"We obviously don’t feel great about … not taking part in this at all," said Chelsea Jones, Senior Communications Specialist, Animal Welfare League of Arlington.