Wildlife Feeding Ban in Spokane County to Halt Chronic Disease Spread

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The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has banned the feeding of deer, elk, and moose in much of Eastern Washington to mitigate the spread of disease among the animals, it reported on Friday.

Chronic wasting disease is fatal for cervids like deer, elk, and moose statewide, according to the WDFW. It is caused by mutated proteins called prions which can contaminate the environment and spread between animals through feces, saliva, and urine, the department reports.

The feeding ban will make it an infraction to place, deposit, distribute, or scatter feed including but not limited to grain, hay, minerals, salt, fruit, or other such substances or food types to feed, lure or attract deer, elk, or moose in WDFW's Eastern Region 1 which spans Mount Spokane, Micah Peak, and Cheney. A deer found in north Spokane County tested positive for CWD earlier this year, the WDFW reports.

The rule doesn't apply to agricultural practices like cultivation, production, and feeding livestock, according to the department.

Washingtonians can help manage the spread of CWD by reporting sick or dead deer, elk, or moose to the WDFW, the department reports further.