Texas Judge Blocks TPWD Order Requiring Deer Breeders to Cull Herd Due to Chronic Wasting Disease

A McLennan County judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) from enforcing orders that would require two local deer breeders to kill 29 deer due to potential exposure to Chronic Wasting Disease. The breeders are seeking a permanent injunction to prevent the state from forcing them to kill their deer stock. The TPWD had ordered the breeders to kill the animals, but the breeders requested a testing plan instead. The lawsuit alleges that the kill order would cause irreparable damage to the breeders' operations and result in significant financial loss. The hearing for a temporary injunction is set for September 18.