Advocates To Demand Change Near Animal Rescue Where Deer Was Shot

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — Outraged animal advocates are set to urge lawmakers Monday to terminate an agreement that allows hunters to traverse Suffolk County land near a wildlife rescue center in Hampton Bays where a deer was killed recently, just feet from the facility.

Last week, the hunter who shot and killed a deer just feet from the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center was been arrested and charged, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said.

After the deer was shot, not only was the staff at the wildlife rescue center devastated by the death of the deer — the facility's executive director Virginia Frati, her clothes covered in blood, tried in vain to save the wounded animal — but concerns were raised about hunters shooting so close to the facility, and to members of the public walking and biking on a nearby nature trail.

When the shots were fired, one slug went through a cage and came close to workers at the wildlife rescue, missing by just a few feet, Frati said.

According to staffers at the wildlife rescue and animal advocates, change must happen: As it stands, said Frati, for about 20 years, she has been imploring Suffolk County officials to terminate an agreement that allows hunters to cross a strip of county-owned land to reach the New York State-sanctioned Henry's Hollow hunting area adjacent to that parcel.

On Monday, Frati, as well as John Di Leonardo, founder of Long Island Orchestrating for Nature, as well as others, are set to head to the William H. Rogers building in Hauppauge to implore the Suffolk County Legislature to implore that the agreement be extinguished.

Frati said she plans to attend the meeting to "stress to our landlords that after half a dozen incidents over the years, and this latest close call, our employees no longer feel safe working in the outdoor caging areas."

Frati added that since the deer was shot, there have been gunshots every day, far more than ever heard in past years.

"Wildlife rehabilitators should not have to work in fear of being shot and killed at Suffolk County's only wildlife hospital, where a great many patients are recovering after being shot and left to languish by hunters in the first place," Di Leonardo said.

LION, and conservationists from across the island, are urging the Suffolk County Parks Department and the Suffolk County Legislature to rescind the agreement, one "that never should have been granted in the first place," he said.

Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming said she welcomes the input of advocates who have been impacted by hunting so close to the wildlife rehabilitation center.

Fleming said she has called upon the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to suspend hunting at the location until investigations are complete and the legislature has had the opportunity to "thoroughly review and reconsider the terms of the contract that allows access to the county parkland which is used by the center — in light of the alarming incident involving shooting within close proximity of the center, its staff and volunteers."

When asked if she would support rescinding the agreement and if that could happen soon, Fleming said she was working with New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele to "explore substantial changes to the agreement in light of public safety concerns."

According to the NYSDEC, on Jan. 13, DEC environmental conservation officers, working with the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, arrested Isidoro Scarola, 75, of Islip Terrace.

He was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, and engaging in posted activity in a restricted, "no hunting area," discharging a shotgun within 500 feet of a farm structure, and illegal take of protected wildlife, all violations, the NYSDEC said.

The charges were brought after the incident on Jan. 4, on the DEC's Henrys Hollow Pine Barrens state forest property after Scarola voluntarily turned himself in to New York State Police at the Riverside barracks, the NYSDEC said.

He is scheduled to appear in Southampton Town Court on Feb. 2, the NYSDEC said.

Of the charges, Frati said Wednesday: "While it is comforting that he got caught, the previous episodes which I've reported show that my staff and the public are not safe on this park and neither are the wildlife we spend so much time rehabilitating. And we were here first."

The DEC did not immediately return a request for comment on the proposed hunting ban on that parcel.

Thiele said he was pleased to see that the matter was fully investigated and that the NYSDEC brought the "appropriate" charges against the hunter. "Nevertheless, hunting should never have been allowed in this area, so close to the wildlife rehabilitation center. DEC and the county need to revisit their agreement. There needs to be a wider buffer and no hunting permitted where public safety cannot be guaranteed."

According to the NYSDEC, environmental conservation officers Jacob Clark and Rob McCabe received a complaint from workers at the wildlife rescue center in Hampton Bays about a hunter who shot a deer on their property. The officers responded and found a deer near the animal holding area behind the center, the DEC said.

The ECOs questioned Scarola, who said he entered from a legal hunting co-op parking spot and had mistakenly walked into an area where hunting is prohibited, the DEC said.

The DEC environmental conservation officers also found bullet holes in the fence and damage to a door of an animal housing and storage shed, the DEC said.

Additionally ECO Christopher DeRose and K-9 Cramer also responded and found three spent shotgun shells within 500 feet of the occupied buildings, the DEC said.

It is illegal to discharge a firearm within 500 feet of a structure in use unless you own it, lease it, or have the owner's permission, according to the DEC's website.

Describing the gunshots that rang out outside the rescue center, Frati said she was horrified by what she found when she ran outside to investigate.

"I saw that a hunter had shot a deer which was lying, still alive, near our raccoon pens," she said.

The two loud gunshots were heard at about 9:30 a.m., Frati said. She picked up the deer, her arms, face, pants and glasses covered with its blood, and tried in vain to save it, she said. But despite her best attempts, the deer died.

"It was the most horrible, traumatic thing I've ever experienced," Frati said. "I was just sobbing. The deer dropped to the ground literally three feet from one of our cages," Frati said. "There should not be a hunting area near a wildlife center. That's like putting a porn shop or an adult book store next to a children's playground."

According to Di Leonardo, those who wish to speak out at the meeting but who cannot attend in person can do so via Zoom, by emailing clerk.legislature@suffolkcountyny.gov, writing a letter to Clerk's Office, Suffolk County Legislature, P.O. Box 6100, Hauppauge, NY 11788, or by calling and leaving audio testimony at 631-853-3685; callers may leave a 3-minute message.