MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - After a deer was found in Meridian Township with Chronic Wasting Disease, the Meridian Township Police Department and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources are taking steps to find out how widespread the disease is.

The DNR has identified township-owned properties that professionals are culling and collecting deer to test them for CWD. This culling program began on June 3rd. Meridian Township Police Lieutenant Ken Plaga says while the DNR is not collecting deer from every property, it is still important for them to have access to the land. He says the public should not worry about their safety while in the parks with regards to the culling process

"These sharpshooters are working from elevated locations so they don't have stray rounds," Plaga said. "They're highly trained individuals and they're not in the parks during daylight hours. They are only in our park properties after dusk when the parks are closed to the public."

Plaga says the culling will typically take place from about the last two hours of daylight into the first three hours of darkness.

The DNR will notify Meridian Township Police when they are working and at what location. So far, 11 deer have been culled and collected for testing.
The DNR says that testing could take up to a week to see if the deer collected are infected with CWD.