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Agenda Item # 3.1 - Abir Battacharyya | Received 12/11/20231 Thai Pham From:abir Sent:Monday, December 11, 2023 12:52 PM To:Public Comments Subject:EXTERNAL - Public Comment for Dec 11th Meeting Attachments:Save Local Animals Initiative - Gilroy - Council - Share.pdf To whom this may concern: As a concerned citizen of Gilroy, I would like to bring up the issue of increased accidents involving deer. I am also attaching a slide deck. Let me know if any further information is required. Thank you. Abir Bhattacharyya. -- "He who binds himself to a joy Does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity’s sunrise" --William Blake CAUTION: This email originated from an External Source. Please use proper judgment and caution when opening attachments, clicking links, or responding to this email. Save Local (Gilroy) Wild Animals Initiative Co-existing with our animal residents & showing Compassion!! Problem Statement(s) •Deer accidents are happening more frequently in Gilroy. •Especially in Santa Teresa Road and 1st Street. •More accidents happen especially during Night time. •No rescue or first-aid medical help available today to save injured Deer. •As a result injured Deers are killed rather than been provided with medical help. •No Rehabilitation services for injured deers. •No Knowledge how to react during animal accidents among residents. Facts •Increased traffic in Santa Teresa Road due to new housing developments. •What used to be Deer residence is now occupied by humans. •Fewer Street Lights in Santa Teresa Road and 1st Street and too dark in night to spot deers while driving. •Most Accidents happen especially during Night time. •Deer are most active at night between 6 and 9 p.m. •Deer usually travel in herds—if you see one, it’s likely that more are following. •No 24x7 animal rescue service available in Gilroy, except Gilroy Police. •Recognize that the animal will not understand that humans are trying to help it and see them as hurting them. So its better experts handle helping animals. •The injured animal will be in shock & stress, both from the original cause of its injury or trauma. So going near them to help without experience is risky. Solution – Prevention, Rescue, Rehabilitation •Prevention – How can we prevent vehicles from hitting the animals? •Improved Road Safety to prevent accidents •Speed Limits •More Signs •Fences •Flash Lights •Reflectors •Drivers Following Speed Limits and using Head-lights at night when dark. •Create Awareness among People •Animal Rescue – How can we help Injured Animal? •Develop partnership with city, local animal care centers to provide help to injured animals. •Animal Rehabilitation – How can we help Injured Animal go back to normal life? •Develop partnership with local animal rehabilitation Center provide help to injured animals go back to normal life. Short-term Solution(s) •Prevent frequent Deer accidents. •Increase Street lighting in Santa Teresa Blvd to spot deers easily at night time. •Identify Deer habitats in and around Gilroy and create awareness about Deers lifestyle and its habitats among community. •Install radar speed displays on Santa Teresa Blvd. •Partner with existing organizations to provide first-aid medical help to save injured Deer and partner with existing local animal welfare organizations to provide rehabilitation services for deers. Long-term Solution(s) •Installing Streiter-Lite reflector system cuts down on nighttime animal-vehicle collisions by an average of 80%! This is a huge reduction in loss of life, vehicle damage and insurance costs. •Identify Funds for first-aid medical help to save injured Deer and rehabilitation services for deers. •Installing animal friendly crossing bridges. •Reference: https://openspacetrust.org/blog/wildlife/ How can Gilroy Residents help? •Prevent frequent Deer accidents. •Learn to co-exist with our animal friends. •Identify Partners to solve this problem. •Work with city to improve road safety, create animal rescue & rehabilitation centers and follow road rules. •Create community awareness about the problem and engage the community. •Wildlife rehabilitation centers are mostly funded by individual donations which go towards the cost of animal food, shelter & medicine. Your local support is another way to support the cause. •Volunteer your time in the local animal rescue and rehabilitation centers. Prevention through Careful Driving •Following Speed Limits - Keeping vehicle speed in check gives the driver a better chance of stopping in time if an animal darts into the road. •Watch for wildlife in and near the road at dawn, dusk and in the first few hours after darkness -Keep in mind that where there is one animal, there are probably others—young animals following their mother or male animals pursuing a female. •Be especially cautious on two-lane roads bordered by woods or fields, or where streams cross under roads -Most animal/vehicle collisions occur on these roads. Slow down to 45 mph or less. •Scan the road as you drive, watching the edges for wildlife about to cross - This will also make you more aware of other hazards such as bicyclists, children at play and slow-moving vehicles. •Don’t throw trash out car windows -Discarded food pollutes the environment and creates a hazard by attracting wildlife to the roads. Source: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-avoid-vehicular-collisions-animals Prevention through Road Safety •Enforce speed limits in areas with deer. The lower the speed, the fewer collisions with deer. •Erect fences.One of the most successful techniques for alleviating deer/vehicle collisions is to use fencing to prevent deer from crossing roads. •Install devices that warn deer of oncoming cars:Streiter Lite® reflectors, which reflect headlights to create an optical illusion of a fence and alert deer to oncoming vehicles,have been reported to reduce deer/vehicle collisions by 60 to 100%;Deer Deter devices alert deer to oncoming vehicles by combining a strobe light effect with ultrasonic high-pitched sounds. •Mount motion-activated flashing lights on deer-crossing signs or posts to warn motorists about the presence of deer. •Construct wildlife crossing underpasses to enable wildlife to cross roads without having to negotiate traffic. Source: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-avoid-vehicular-collisions-animals Source: https://sites.google.com/view/strieter-lite-reflectors/home Streiter Lite® Reflectors Rescue •Safety First – Use vehicle hazard lights or emergency road flares to warn oncoming traffic of the injured animal. Never attempt to handle a large animal like a deer, or one that could give a serious bite, like a raccoon. •To rescue Injured Animals call the local animal shelter,humane society, animal control agency, nature center, state wildlife agency or veterinarian. •Call Gilroy Animal Control - Call the non-emergency number of the local police department and describe the animal's location. Stay in the area until help arrives. •Never handle an adult animal without first consulting a wildlife professional. Even small animals can injure you. Once you've contacted someone who can help, describe the animal and their physical condition as accurately as possible. •Do not give the animal food or water. It could be the wrong food and cause them to choke, trigger serious digestive problems or cause aspiration pneumonia. Many injured animals are in shock and force-feeding can kill them. Source: https://wcsv.org/ Guidelines to Rescue Injured Animals Rehabilitation •Sick or injured adult animals require special California permits for rehabilitation. •Work with local police or right authorities, to see if the injured animal can be taken to a local animal shelter,wildlife rehabilitator or a receptive veterinarian. If there is a delay, keep the animal in a dark, warm, quiet place to minimize fear and stress. •Wildlife rehabilitation centers are mostly funded by individual donations which go towards the cost of animal food, shelter & medicine. Our local support is another way to support the cause. Local Animal Services Centers: Santa Cruz County Animal Services: 831-454-7200 OR 831-471-1182 (after hours) Local Wild Life Rehabilitation Centers: Morgan Hill Center: P.O. Box 1105, Morgan Hill, CA 95038-1105. Phone: (408) 779-9372, Email: werc@werc-ca.org San Jose Center: 3027 Penitencia Creek Road, San Jose, CA 95132. Phone: 1-408-929-9453 (929-WILD), Email: info@wcsv.org Intake hours to 9 AM to 3 PM, open 7 days a week. Source: https://www.werc-ca.org/ - Wild Life Rehabilitation center, Morgan Hill Report •If you accidentally kill an animal, report the location of the animal's body to the local police department, and they will arrange for removal. This will eliminate a potential traffic hazard and also the situation will be handled carefully by experts. Source: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-avoid-vehicular-collisions-animals Thank You Friends!!