New York Officer Stops Potential ‘Zombie Deer Disease’ From Entering HV

A deer that could be infected with a "highly contagious disease" was stopped in the Hudson Valley. The man transporting the deer hoped to bring it to New York City.

On Tuesday, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced one officer potentially stopped Chronic Wasting Disease from entering the Hudson Valley.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is also called "Zombie Deer Disease" because of the symptoms it causes.

An infected animal starts to stumble, act lifeless and confused about a year after an animal is infected, officials say.

In December 2020 a deer was found on the border of New York with Chronic Wasting Disease.

The deer was taken at a captive shooting facility in Warren County, PA.

On Feb. 17, ECO Walraven conducted a traffic stop after observing a vehicle with a deer carcass attached to the roof.

During the interview, the driver of the vehicle admitted to picking up the carcass in Pennsylvania for transport to New York City.

Officer Walraven educated the driver about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and informed him it is prohibited to return with whole carcasses or intact heads of deer, elk, moose, or caribou from outside of New York State.

"Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a real threat to New York’s wild deer and moose populations, and the latest detection in Pennsylvania brings the disease to our border," the New York State DEC told Hudson Valley Post in an email.

ECO Walraven ticketed the driver, seized the carcass, and transported it to the regional DEC Bureau of Wildlife Office.

CWD is a highly contagious disease that affects deer, elk, moose, and caribou. It is always fatal and there are no vaccines or treatments available. CWD is believed to be caused by a prion, which is an infectious protein, that can infect animals through animal-to-animal contact or contaminated environments