Statue in deer scat poo-poos city's work to thin urban deer population

PENTICTON, British Columbia, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Officials in a Canadian city likely didn't endear themselves with everyone over their deer population control effort, having received a statue covered in scat.

City officials say someone last month left a statue of a deer decorated in deer scat on the steps of City Hall, as an expression of displeasure with the growing population of city's four-legged interlopers, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Wednesday.

"That was a very effective way of communicating with us that there was a problem out there that needed to be resolved," Penticton Mayor Garry Litke said. "We have some artistic people in Penticton, that's for sure."

The city already knew there was a problem with urban deer overrunning the community, but had been waiting for a decision in legal battle concerning a deer herd in a community near the Alberta border, CBC said.

Penticton earlier this week voted to spend $15,000 project to relocate the deer to the Penticton Indian Band land more than six miles away, the CBC said, and will issue a request for proposals from contractors soon.