February 14, 2002
Bob McDowell, Director
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
P.O. Box 400
Trenton, NJ 08625-0400
Dear Mr. McDowell:
Pursuant to New Jersey state law, this will serve as notice that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Dan Shannon, and Jay Kelly each reserves the right to bring an action for damages and/or injuries sustained in an automobile crash on November 16, 2001. Shortly before 1 o’clock in the morning on that date, while driving a Honda Civic belonging to PETA (and while returning from a PETA campaigning tour) southbound on the New Jersey Turnpike, a deer darted out in front of the car and a collision resulted. The collision occurred at or near mile marker 15.4 in Woolwich Township, Gloucester County. Damage to the car was severe, resulting in a repair bill that exceeded $6,000.00 and loss of use of the car for nearly two months. The total amount of damages is, as yet, unknown.
PETA, Mr. Shannon, and Mr. Kelly believe that this collision, which occurred near the start of New Jersey’s hunting season, was caused by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection Fish and Wildlife Division and the Fish and Game Council as a result of their deer management program, which includes, in certain circumstances, an affirmative effort to increase deer populations. Despite the known dangers an increased deer population poses to motorists in the state, the Division and Council actively assist in increasing the deer population for the purpose of enhancing hunting opportunities and license revenues. The result, as was the case here, is a significant number of auto-deer collisions each year, causing significant injuries and property damage.
The New Jersey State Constitution expressly mandates that the government’s responsibility is the protection, security, and benefit of the people. The state’s deer management program effectively places recreational interests over safety interests, thereby violating the obligations of the government to, above all, act in the best interests of public safety. The constitution further ensures the rights of persons to enjoy and defend their rights to, among other things, life, property, and safety. The deer management program, which exists only for recreational and economic interests, inherently threatens those rights the state constitution guarantees, and is, therefore, unlawful.
Please send any notices to the address listed on this letterhead. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Matthew Penzer
Legal Counsel
A repair bill for a Honda CIVIC that exceeded $6,000? LOL Unless the thing was BRAND new (something I seriously doubt for this bunch of granola chewing idiots), there's no WAY a Honda Civic could have $6,000 worth of damage and not be totaled!
Well I guess hypocricy and dishonesty DO go hand in hand! LOL