Demand officials stop shooting British Columbia feral rabbits

[LittlePuffyTail]

I thought this article might be of interest because most of these rabbits being killed are not wild rabbits, they are pet bunnies who were dumped by their idiot owners (probably university students) and reproduced.

City of Kelowna, British Columbia, Shooting Rabbits After Promising to Use Humane Control Methods!

The City of Kelowna, British Columbia, announced earlier this year that measures would be taken to control the city’s burgeoning feral rabbit population. These feral rabbits—domestic animals who are likely the descendants of abandoned pet-store bunnies—are reportedly reproducing in large numbers and pose a problem for the local ecosystem and resident homeowners. Kelowna Urban Forestry Supervisor Ian Wilson assured PETA’s caseworkers that the rabbit-control measures would be humane. Unfortunately, it appears that Kelowna’s first move was not to attempt to trap the animals and relocate them to capable sanctuaries or even to trap and humanely euthanize them. Instead, Kelowna reportedly hired an individual to canvas the city at night and kill feral rabbits using an air rifle. Please contact Kelowna officials and demand that they stop shooting rabbits and employ humane population control methods instead. Remind them that aside from posing a public safety risk, shooting rabbits with firearms is immeasurably cruel. Animal victims often are not killed instantly when shot and are left to suffer slow and painful deaths.

Please send polite comments to:

Ron Mattiusi, City Manager
ask@kelowna.ca

The Honorable Sharon Shepherd
Mayor of Kelowna
Kelowna City Council
mayorandcouncil@kelowna.ca

David Graham
Director of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Services
City of Kelowna
1435 Water St.
Kelowna, BC V1Y 1J4
Canada
250-469-8500
250-862-3399 (fax)

 

[Beka27]

that’s awful. i agree something NEEDS to be done… even if it is *humanely* euthanizing them, but shooting them? ugh.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Shooting them is quicker and cheaper. They obviously don’t care it’s inhumane and the innocent suffer more.

[Beka27]

double UGH.

[Deleted User]

i emailed them

[Beka27]

the more i’m thinking about this the angrier i’m getting. why do people have to be like this?

dumping your pet is irresponsible.

not altering your pet is irresponsible.

combining those two are very irresponsible.

regardless of who you are and what your financial situation is… don’t be irresponsible.

if you can’t follow these few guidelines, DON’T GET A PET.

[/rant]

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

We’ve been writing them from my group, as we’d offered twice to come and catch several for our rescue and they told us we didn’t need to, and we’d offered to help in their catch efforts as well. It’s quite frustrating as they turn down help and now not only are they killing them but someone was seen stomping one to death.

Beka I’m so with your angry rant!!!

[LittlePuffyTail]

That is so sick that they turn down help to humanely deal with this situation. I’m gonna sit down this weekend and write some letters…

I saw a report on the news when this population explosion began and the university students are being blamed. Apparently it was a trend to get a rabbit to live in your dorm and dump it when the year is over. And these people were smart enough to be accepted into University???? It boggles the mind! I worry about something similar happening near my area as I live very close to a big university and we have no rabbit rescues anywhere’s in the province or in any of the neighboring provinces.

[MarkBun]

Is this still going on? On Oct 2nd (Yesterday, the city released a notification that the shooting of the rabbits would cease and that humane ways would be used instead.

[Beka27]

i certainly hope so Markus.^^^

[LittlePuffyTail]

I hope so too. I’m gonna do some sleuthing and find out about that.

[MarkBun]

Here’s the article. Note there is another thread about this in the Rescue session under “Bunnies need our help!”

http://www.chbcnews.ca/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=16723

[LittlePuffyTail]

I found this article. I guess the shooting is suspended for now (sorry that article I put up was a bit outdated, usually the source of the article is right on the ball). I can’ find any information on how they plan on controlling the population though. It wouldn’t hurt to still contact city officials and urge for humane methods to be used. I’m gonna stay glued to this until I find out what they plan on doing.

Warning: Some might find the following a bit disturbing.

Kelowna city council has told the company it hired to cull the city’s feral rabbits to suspend the use of air rifles following a media report that workers killed the animals inhumanely.

EBB Environmental Consulting Inc. was given the one-year contract in May to eliminate about 2,000 rabbits after local residents complained that the animals had swarmed the city’s lawns and parks in recent years.

CBC News reported this week that workers were seen repeatedly stomping on a rabbit’s head apparently because it was still alive after being shot by an air rifle. A worker then broke its neck to finish the job.

City parks manager Joe Creron issued a news release Wednesday saying a review of rabbit management techniques is underway and the use of air rifles has been suspended.

“The City of Kelowna has requested that EBB Environmental Consulting suspend the use of air rifles in its rabbit control program as of Sept. 30,” Creron said.

Gwenda Garrett, a security guard working in the city, told CBC News on Monday that while on patrol Saturday morning, she saw a contract worker shooting a feral rabbit, then two workers stomping on the animal’s head.

“It was still flopping around because it didn’t die yet. Then the driver of the truck went over and stomped on it twice and it still didn’t die. And then he crouched down and I believe I watched him break the rabbit’s neck,” she said.

She reported the case to Kelowna RCMP, who are still investigating to see whether there is evidence of animal cruelty, Const. Steve Holmes said Monday.

EBB has said the rabbit in question was dead or close to death and its muscles were twitching, so the worker simply broke its neck to put it down.

Kelowna city council is spending $54,000 on a one-year contract to get rid of the animals.

Note from Little Puffy Tail: “they are still investigating to see whether there is evidence of animal cruelty”. How unreal is that! I’m pretty sure stomping on a rabbit and breaking it’s neck constitutes animal cruelty!!!!!!—— LittlePuffyTail is fuming———–

[bunnytowne]

I cant read this. Makes me sick people would do that.   How would they like their head stomped on.  Send them to sudan , samalia unarmed and dump them in the dessert.  The people not the rabbits.

[Buster Bunnie]

omg I shouldn’t read that .  That was just too too heartbreaking 

[MimzMum]

I can’t believe people get paid to do stuff like this. The money should go to a local no-kill shelter and awareness education, not these bloodthirsty bureaucrats’ pockets.

What would they consider humane after this?? Snares?? Metal claw traps?? Poisoning??

They’re not thinking at all, and that’s a fact!

I would love to go block this town’s city hall with a big protest. This is so wrong on way too many levels.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Yeah, if I lived there I’d be doind some big time protesting. I’m eager to find some info on what they plan on doing.

[Author]

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