Bend council OKs resolution discouraging residents from feeding deer, wildlife

(Update: Adding video, comments from woman who feeds deer, city councilor)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend City Council unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday evening discouraging residents from feeding deer and other wildlife within the city limits.

On their website, ODFW officials say feeding deer, elk and other wildlife could spread disease and parasites, attract predators like cougars and coyotes, and lead to an increase in car collisions and conflicts with pets.

ODFW says it has seen healthy deer and elk die because they have been fed the wrong food by “well-intentioned people.”

In the resolution, which says feeding of deer and other wildlife (not including birds) is "highly discouraged," councilors also say they hope "increasing awareness of the issues will prevent the need to take a more direct, regulatory approach."

If the issue worsens, the resolution notes council may consider adopting an ordinance, including a $750 fine.

Councilors made one amendment to the staff proposal for the resolution, exempting backyard bird feeders.

Laurie Floyd told NewsChannel 21 Thursday she has about 12 to 16 deer that regularly visit her neighborhood in southeast Bend.

She said she chooses to feed them because she believes they would not survive in the wild on their own, due to physical disabilities.

She said she calls one female deer "Mommy," and recognizes it because it only has three legs. Floyd said "Mommy" has been visiting her yard for at least the past decade.

Floyd said she researched what deer can and cannot eat, and knows which ingredients to avoid feeding them. She says she uses Purina's AntlerMax deer feed in the feeder, which, according to Purina's website, is intended for free-range deer.

Bend City Councilor Chris Piper told NewsChannel 21 Thursday the resolution is not intended to penalize certain individuals or neighborhoods for wanting to feed wild animals. Piper said the city's goal is to monitor the city as a whole and to provide education and resources to help people understand why they should not feed wildlife.

"There are currently ordinances in place about not feeding the geese in Drake Park, so we want some consistency across the board," Piper said. "It’s really looking at what data is coming in from ODFW, Bend Police and the neighborhood associations, to help determine if we do go forth with a full ordinance."

One of the city's goals with the resolution include working with ODFW to collect data and create a website for references on what not to do and why.