Douglas advocates for moose
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David Lawrence talks to Pete the moose in Irasburg last month. Pete was raised by Lawrence, 73, who nursed the then-newborn moose back to health after Pete had been injured by dogs. File / The Associated Press |
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By SUSAN ALLEN STAFF WRITER - Published: August 19, 2009
MONTPELIER — Gov. James Douglas said Tuesday his office has received many calls from people worried that the state Fish & Wildlife Department might kill Pete, a docile moose living on an elk farm in Irasburg, and has asked the department's top official to spare Pete's life if possible.
The governor said his office had received quite a few calls opposing any plan that resulted in the extermination of the moose – his office said about 70 — although those calls to his constituent hotline had fallen off somewhat this week.
"I hope we can find a reasonable solution," Douglas said at his weekly news conference. He said he spoke to Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche, suggesting that perhaps Pete could be placed in another location for care, adding, "I know he (Laroche) is exploring that."
"The governor has asked the commissioner to find a solution that clearly does not involve the killing of Pete," said Douglas' spokeswoman Dennise Casey.
Laroche did not return calls to his office seeking comment Tuesday.
Pete was raised by 73-year-old David Lawrence of Albany, who nursed the then-newborn moose back to health after it had been injured by dogs. Pete lives on property owned by Doug Nelson, where native white-tailed deer and moose live among imported elk on Nelson's elk farm and hunting preserve in Irasburg.
Fish & Wildlife is negotiating with Nelson about what steps to take to rid the property of the native animals, and Nelson said that Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche told him his department would kill the animals, including Pete, in the near future.
Wildlife officials worry that the imported elk might spread diseases, particularly chronic wasting disease, to Vermont's native deer and moose population, and having the native animals living there is against state regulations.
This is at least the third docile moose Lawrence has bonded with on Nelson's farm over the years, including a moose he named Bull that was abandoned by its mother at birth. Lawrence was reportedly feeding the moose doughnuts and beer (a 2007 photo in the Barton Chronicle newspaper shows Lawrence feeding then-3-year-old Bull a doughnut).
Another docile moose also under Lawrence's care he named Cow. It's not immediately clear what happened to those two moose. A Chronicle editorial from 2007 calls on Fish & Wildlife to spare the life of Bull. Lawrence was unreachable by telephone late Tuesday.
Support for Pete the moose was sparked when the Times Argus ran a photo package and short story earlier this summer on the moose's plight.
Several YouTube videos have sprung up about Lawrence and his moose. And a Facebook page created by Beth White of Morrisville also has spread the word about Pete. That social networking site has drawn fans from all over the world to rally support for Pete. As of late Tuesday, more than 1,700 people had joined as 'friends' of Pete, offering suggestions, including one that read, "Seems like the Governor could grant clemency, a pardon … something!"
White said Tuesday she was pleased with the governor's call to Laroche to save Pete.
"I think it's absolutely a step in the right direction if the governor has come out and made a public statement," White said. "Anytime you put your word out there you have to be man of it."
sue.allen@timesargus.com
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