A Georgia homeowners’ association is in a bitter battle with some residents over whether it should be allowed to trap and kill some beavers that have become a nuisance in the neighborhood.
The Deer Lake HOA in Alpharetta, about 26 miles north of Atlanta, says it explored relocation options but had to resort to trapping the beavers, which had been making a mess out of tree trunks and bushes at the neighborhood’s centerpiece lake.
“I don’t like it,” Liliana Rodriguez, who lives in the Deer Lake subdivision of Alpharetta, told WSB-TV. “I don’t like the idea of killing animals.”
Neighbors have expressed outrage over the practice of trapping and killing the animals on the neighborhood’s Facebook page, resident Daniel Walsh told the station.
“I’ve seen a lot of people say, ‘This is wrong. Why are we doing this?’” Walsh said. “We can’t just kill beavers just because they’re here. We should relocate them.”
However, others in the neighborhood feel that trapping and killing the creatures is necessary.
Clark Bond, who lives in the neighborhood, said the traps were “the most humane way we can capture a beaver.”
“They’re gonna die in a natural condition, doing what they like, chomping on wood,” he said told the news station.
Despite his feelings, he said he understands why some of his neighbors are against killing the beavers.
“I think the idea of catching a nice furry animal and then having it reach its demise is a sad thing for a lot of people,” he said.
In a letter to residents, seen by WSB-TV, the Deer Lake HOA’s Board of Directors said they contacted more than 10 wildlife trappers in North Georgia, but none were willing or able to help them relocate the beavers.
Under the Georgia Department of Natural Resources rules, relocated beavers can only be released on private property, the letter added. Since beavers are also considered nuisance animals, they are not allowed to be released on state-owned property, including wildlife management areas and state parks.
“As a practical matter, no property owners or organizations were willing to accept relocated beavers, which made relocation unavailable as an option,” the letter said.
The HOA said the traps are temporary and will only be out for a few more weeks. So far, the traps have caught just one beaver, WSB-TV added.
