When Voters For Animal Rights was founded in 2016, one of the very first fights we took on was also one of the most unconventional: advocating for vasectomies for deer on Staten Island.

People laughed. Officials were skeptical. Critics called it expensive, impractical, and naïve, but we believed then — as we believe now — that humane solutions are always worth fighting for. Nearly a decade later, the results speak for themselves.

The Problem: A Growing Population, and a Dangerous Proposal

By the mid-2010s, Staten Island’s white-tailed deer population had exploded. Deer had been largely absent from the borough for decades, but beginning in the 1990s, they began swimming across from New Jersey. With no natural predators and abundant food sources in the urban landscape, the population grew rapidly, reaching an estimated 2,166 deer by 2016, or roughly 92 deer per square mile.

The consequences were real: increased deer-vehicle collisions, rising rates of tick-borne illness, and significant damage to the borough’s forests and green spaces. Something had to be done.

The “solution” many officials pushed for? A lethal cull.

Voters For Animal Rights refused to accept that killing was the only answer.

The Fight for a Humane Alternative

Working alongside wildlife experts and directly with the Mayor’s Office, VFAR supported the implementation of a non-lethal alternative: a citywide deer vasectomy program, the first of its kind in a major American city.

The program, developed by nonprofit wildlife organization White Buffalo, took a unique approach: focusing on vasectomies for male deer rather than the female sterilization methods used in other, much smaller geographies. The scale and setting of Staten Island’s 60 square miles made this an especially ambitious and groundbreaking undertaking.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city’s first contract with White Buffalo in 2016, worth $3.3 million over three years. It was a hard-won victory and one VFAR is proud to have helped make happen.

The Results: Nearly a Decade of Progress

The data is in, and the humane approach is working.

According to the NYC Parks Department’s most recent count, conducted in January 2025:

• The deer population has dropped 41% from 2,166 deer in 2016 to an estimated 1,284 today.
• Deer-vehicle collisions have fallen 83% since the program began.
• Fawn births have decreased dramatically, reflecting the long-term effectiveness of the sterilization approach.

These are not just statistics. They represent fewer animals killed on roadways, fewer families affected by Lyme disease, and a healthier urban ecosystem, all achieved without a single deer being killed.

Sunny Corrao, deputy director of the Parks Department’s Wildlife Unit, put it plainly: the City needed to step in as the deer population grew and human-wildlife conflicts multiplied. The vasectomy program was the answer.

Why This Matters Beyond Staten Island

Staten Island’s program is more than a local success story. It’s proof of concept for cities across the country.

Urban deer populations are a challenge in hundreds of municipalities. The knee-jerk response is almost always lethal control — hunting, culling, sharpshooters — but Staten Island shows that with patience, investment, and the political will to do the right thing, humane population management is not only possible, it’s effective.

The city’s current contract with White Buffalo runs through June 2029. We hope — and will continue to advocate — that NYC renews its commitment to this program beyond that date. As Corrao noted, managing urban wildlife is a “long-term game.” We agree, and we’re in it for the long haul.

What’s Next

This humane program has been a success, and we’re proud of the role Voters For Animal Rights played in making it a reality, but our work isn’t done.

We will continue to push for the renewal and expansion of the Staten Island deer vasectomy program, and to advocate for non-lethal wildlife management solutions in cities across New York and beyond.

Animals deserve compassion. Science supports humane alternatives. And communities benefit when we choose both.

If you want to help us continue this work, please make a donation today.