http://www.royalcityrecord.com/Bunn…story.html

Bunny sales banned in Royal City

 

 

By Theresa McManus, New West Record June 15, 2010

 

The City of New Westminster is trying to do its part to stop the proliferation of abandoned bunnies.

On Monday, council gave three readings to a bylaw that would prohibit the sale of pet rabbits in pet stores. The intent of the bylaw is to lessen regional concerns relating to domesticated rabbits being released into nature parks and other areas.

Keith Coueffin, the city’s manager of licensing and integrated services, said other municipalities have asked New Westminster to support the initiative because of concerns about rabbits being released.

“It was particularly noted as a very large problem in Richmond Nature Park,” he said.

Although city staff is unaware of any stores in New Westminster that currently sell pet rabbits, the pet store bylaw would prohibit the sale of rabbits in pet stores and prevent it from being done in the future.

“I know our petting zoo at times gets requests to take rabbits,” Coueffin said. “They just can’t handle anymore.”

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Read more: http://www.royalcityrecord.com/Bunn…z0qxG0iVSg
 

This is the second city in British Columbia to pass this law There is also a third going through the progress of re-doing laws on sales of rabbits – http://www.thenownews.com/life/Want…story.html

Want a rabbit? Spay or neuter it

 

 

By John Kurucz, Coquitlam NOW June 9, 2010

 

A Victoria-based phenomenon has got politicians on this side of the water thinking about how to deal with Fluffy bunny — and her many offspring.

Coquitlam council passed a notice of motion Monday that will see staff begin the process of changing the city’s bylaws around the sale of rabbits. If Monday’s motion gets drafted into law, only rabbits that have been spayed or neutered can be sold in the city.

Originally submitted by Coun. Mae Reid, the motion changed over the course of Monday’s debate from a total prohibition on the sale of rabbits to one allowing only the sale of those that are infertile. That change forced Reid to withdraw her support for the motion, although all the other councillors endorsed it.

“I only want the total prohibition or nothing,” Reid said.

Her motivation to submit the notice of motion was born out of last month’s decision to begin culls at the University of Victoria (UVic), amid concerns that the creatures were decimating the school’s sports fields. Varying reports suggest about 2,000 feral rabbits live on the university grounds, and most are the descendants of abandoned pets.

“It’s just inhumane,” Reid said of the UVic situation. “It’s caused a great division among staff and students and it’s just a terrible thing.”

Reid also pointed to an increase in the rabbit population in Mundy Park about 20 years ago, a phenomenon that was at least partly attributed to rabbit owners abandoning their pets over time.

Mayor Richard Stewart said his family has owned a handful of rabbits, and that while purchasing a rabbit is fairly inexpensive, it’s hoped that the added cost of spaying or neutering a rabbit will cause some people to think twice before adopting one.

“They’re wonderful pets. They’re wonderful family members,” he said. “But they aren’t the easy pet that a lot of people think they are.”

“Right now they’re inexpensive pets, but if they have to be neutered first, it increases the price,” added Coun. Selina Robinson. “So people will give it a second or third or fourth thought before they actually make that purchase. I’m hopeful that that will actually be reflected in the number of people who choose to purchase rabbits.”

Though he too lent his support to the move, Coun. Lou Sekora seemed bewildered by Reid’s motion.

“We’ll be passing bylaws coming out of the ying yang and have bylaw enforcement officers also chasing all these crazy things … I think we’re really reaching quite far on this one,” he said.

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Read more: http://www.thenownews.com/life/Want…z0qxGVZ6uf