Wis. lawmakers introduce CWD legislative package

By Samantha Nitz

MADISON, Wis. (WEAU) - “Healthy herd, Healthy hunt.”

State lawmakers unveil plans to address Chronic Wasting Disease in Wisconsin.

Senator Jeff Smith and Representative Katrina Shankland, both democrats, hosted a virtual press conference Wednesday morning to introduce the legislative package.

CWD is a fatal, contagious, neurological disease of deer, elk, and moose. Its spread poses a serious threat to white-tail deer herds across the state.

Shankland shared a quote from Pete Theisen, an avid hunter and chair-person of the Portage County Deer Advisory Council.

“Quote: You can have a sickly-looking deer test positive, or you could have the healthiest-looking deer in the world test positive for CWD. The worst thing I could imagine is to accidently give CWD-contaminated venison to a loved one and to have them get sick as result,” Shankland said.

Shankland says the package will provide funding for CWD research and management, testing kiosks and carcass disposal sites and dumpsters.