Overkill: Armed Agents Raid Wisconsin Animal Shelter; Kill Baby Deer Named Giggles "It was like SWAT

[Crepuscular]

108. Yes, I realize that.

The single incidence in MN is likely due to environmental exposure that occurred when a captive elk farm was depopulated due to finding CWD positive animals. After the farm was depopulated, adequate biosecurity measures were not taken and portions of the fence came down, allowing free ranging deer to access the contaminated property. The MN DNR did a good job using an aggressive approach to deal with the outbreak. Small scale outbreaks can probably be eradicated if aggressive measures are taken, as occurred in MN and NY and as Missouri is currently attempting to do. By the time that CWD was discovered in Wisconsin and Illinois, it had likely been in the population for several decades and was endemic in the core areas. Eradication is no longer an option at that point, then the focus shifts to management and containment. Regulations that preclude releasing deer that have been held in captivity back into the wild fall under the latter category and are the responsible biological approach to take.