'Montana was able to stop the spread of CWD from farmed elk to wild elk and deer, but other states have not been as successful. Montana had to enact a ban on captive deer farms and preserves and to destroy the existing captive animals to achieve this result.'

The NYSCC is a 70 year-old organization that represents more than 1,200 clubs and associated organizations and claims a membership of 300,000 conservationists and sports enthusiasts.

Appalled and Dismayed

“I am deeply disappointed the regulations for captive deer by the Department of Agriculture and Markets were not strict enough to prevent the spread of this dread disease to farmed captive deer in the State,” said the group's president, Howard Cushing Jr.

“We are appalled and dismayed at the discovery of the deer at two locations in recent weeks. This is a sad time for the wild deer as they may have been exposed to the diseased farmed deer. Many of the wild deer must now be slaughtered because they must be tested for CWD and there is no live test,” Cushing pointed out.

Captive Animals Should Be Quarantined

The NYSCC has been following the spread of CWD from Wyoming and Colorado into western Canada and east to Wisconsin and Illinois, and vice president Wally John has been briefing legislators about the CWD threat.

“It has been found in farmed deer and elk at many locations in the past decade, and we were always afraid that it would be spread to New York by captive farmed deer,” John said. “I know that Montana was able to stop the spread of CWD from farmed elk to wild elk and deer, but other states have not been as successful. Montana had to enact a ban on captive deer farms and preserves and to destroy the existing captive animals to achieve this result,” he explained.

“Strict new State regulations of game farms are needed now, Cushing urged. All facilities that have captive animals should be totally locked down in an absolute quarantine to prevent any movement of live animals around the state, into the state or out of state.”