Plan to Kill 30 Deer at Zoo Triggers Uproar

NORWICH, Conn. —  A plan to kill 30 deer to cut costs at the local zoo threw this city into an uproar Saturday as noisy demonstrators, shouting “Save Bambi!,” vowed to impeach the government.

Pickets lined the street leading to Mohegan Park Zoo while others demonstrated at City Hall--even though it was closed for the day.

“One caller said: ‘Kill the commission, keep the deer,’ ” said Mary Elizabeth Kenyon, secretary to the city manager. “That pretty well sums up the mood.”

Because of fears that the herd could contract rabies or tuberculosis and then infect zoo visitors, zoo officials considered an elaborate plan of building fences and annually testing the herd. But costs for the program were so high that city officials decided to kill the herd.