On behalf of the concerned residents of Watermark at Bearspaw, heartbroken that a six-month-old moose calf has had to be euthanized after becoming impaled on a notoriously hazardous fence, we call on the developer, Macdonald Development Corporation, to modify or replace the spike-tipped fencing installed along the roadside and pathways in this residential neighbourhood to make it safe and at a uniform height.

Watermark, formerly the Damkar Ranch, is a wildlife corridor connecting Bearspaw ridge to the Bow River valley, much used by white-tail deer, moose, bobcats, coyotes and more.  Yet there have been multiple injuries to animals traversing the area in the past few years, as they try to leap the developer-installed spike-topped fencing separating private land from public walk paths and roadways.
 
We know of at least 5 documented instances of the needless and premature deaths of animals (4 deer, 1 moose) who impale themselves on this type of fence in our neighbourhood.  In all these cases, the animals either tragically bled out, after hours of agonized suffering, or had to be put down by Fish and Wildlife staff.  It is entirely  likely that additional animals may have been injured by this fence and possible that their young would not have survived in consequence. 
 
Residents are also concerned that this spiked style of fencing is a potential safety hazard to children playing near them, particularly as in some places the fences are only 4ft high.  It is tragic enough that it has cost numerous deer and now this baby moose their lives.

While we realize that no bylaw has been violated and the developer surely did not intend that its chosen fencing design should be such a hazard to wildlife, given the mounting evidence of harm caused, we call on Macdonald Development Corporation to take responsibility for having imposed this lethal fencing design on the community and take action to remove, replace or retrofit the fencing to make it safe and of a uniform height.