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       A deer is seen at Michel-Chartrand Park in Longueuil, Que., in November, 2020. An animal-rescue group says there are now about 70 deer in the park, a number several times what the urban green space can support.

       Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press

       An animal-rescue group says the white-tailed deer population in a park on Montreal’s south shore has more than doubled – months after the local government refused to euthanize about 15 of the animals.

       The Longueuil, Que., city administration backtracked on its plan to cull half the deer living in Michel-Chartrand park after the idea sparked outrage last November and led to the local mayor being threatened.

       Longueuil planned to relocate the animals to a sanctuary but the plan fell through in February after a veterinary ethics committee with Université de Montréal deemed the strategy unsafe.

       Sauvetage Animal Rescue director Eric Dussault said Tuesday there are now about 70 deer in the park, a number he says is several times what the urban green space can support.

       Ethics committee chair Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt said Tuesday he doesn’t want to encourage euthanizing the animals but other options seem unrealistic.

       Representatives for Longueuil weren’t immediately available for comment.

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