Lions Club hosts wholesale slaughter of rabbits to raise money.

[Roberta]

I am disgusted beyond belief and I will never donate another penny to any Lions Club Cause.

Every year the Alexandra Lions  Club in Otago South Island New Zealand host the Annual Great Easter Bunny hunt where men, women and under age children spend the day shooting anything that moves. They pay a particpation fee and draw lots for their shooting areas. This wholesale slaughter is followed by a family meal, body count and trophy presentation.

The number of animals killed has been around 15, 000 each year but last year they found the numbers diminished. It is not just rabbits but also cats, ferrets stoats and any small animals they can target.

The local scout group is engaged to dump the bodies in a mass grave at the end of the event.

This mindless slaughter is carried out each year by a supposedly humanitarian group. They are teaching children to kill, not only to kill but to do so without compassion. They are helping to raise our next generation of animal and child abusers….

This practice must not be condoned. Contact your local Lions chapter and tell them exactly what you think of this practice !!!

http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/alexandra/204623/rabbits-prove-difficult-find

[LBJ10]

I’m confused, is the purpose of this to help control invasive species populations?

[longhairmike]

what the $*&!? and they even go so far as to call them bunnies.

[Roberta]

Hi LBJ, If it was and it was advertised that way you would not mind as much. This however is described as a fun family day out to raise money for the Lions.
I know Mike, the actual title “The Great (Annual) Easter Bunny Hunt” just made me sick.
The fact that they enjoy what they are doing and demonstrating to children that killing is fun is really appalling.

[LBJ10]

Yeah, that is pretty disturbing. I mean, I know that rabbits are a problem for the ecosystem. We have introduced species here that cause problems as well. I understand that sometimes the population is so out of control that the only way to reduce the numbers is to kill the animals. What I don’t understand, like you are saying, is why it would be made into a “fun for the whole family” event. And why are they burying the rabbits in a pit? Can’t they use the meat for a homeless shelter or something?

[Eucalyptus]

Soo, this foundation wants to raise money for lions (endangered), by encouraging the exact behavior that’s making them endangered in the first place? Sounds smart.

[MimzMum]

Roberta, there’s an online activists site called Care2 that should probably be made aware of this. I get emails from them all the time on different causes and they get great coverage with their petitions.
What a disgusting event. How can people even look at themselves in the mirror afterwards?

[jerseygirl]

@Eucalyptus, it’s for a Lions Rotary Club I believe.

I’m wondering how they’d even afford the insurance of hosting an event like this?

[BB Administrator]

Hey guys — as much as I completely agree with you, and fully understand why our caring and passionate members would want to come here to commiserate and rally up support,  I have to lock this thread because it breaks the forum rules. This thread will be deleted after a couple of days –to give others a chance to read why and see some of the resources offered. 

  This thread breaks at least one rule.  

No Witch Hunts:  Do not use BinkyBunny to persecute and/or to recruite others to contact a person, business or group you disagree with. 

        It is not uncommon  to come across people, a business or group, on the net or in person, who concern or even outrage us with a differing belief system – especially when it comes to how animals are treated.  (If there is abuse and/or neglect, please report this asap to the proper authorities.) 

        IT IS OKAY TO ask for advice on how to handle the situation, but keep out of your forum post any identifying information that would allow people to locate the other party, either in person or online. This kind of thing can get ugly fast, and though the original  intention may have been to create positive change, it can turn into a witch hunt full of hostilities  

The other rule we have is about debates, but I may need to name it “Highly Charged Subjects” as no one is going to debate this here.  Debates: Let’s keep this board light!  Light discussions and differing opinions about rabbit welfare is fine, but please refrain from getting into debates about God, Government, Animal Rights rights in general (eg. like anti-vivisection aka: for science/medicine, rabbits as food, and about controversial highly charged subjects and groups) or any serious ethical debate.

We don’t have a section for Activism at this time as our focus on the care of our bunnies, and we let the Activist groups be the go to for more serious subjects.  So here are some resources that may be more appropriate.

Care2 did have a petition about this very activity last year http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Ca…-IsTheKey/  — I don’t see a current one, but you could find out how to get one started. 

Other activist groups that focus on this type of activity include: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o…hts_groups   

If you scroll down once you click on the link, you will find a couple of groups that focus more on this type of activity. 

Here are some good resources for Animal Advocacy Groups: However I know these may be U.S. Based!

http://www.aspca.org/Home/Fight-Ani…acy-Center

http://www.humanesociety.org/action/toolkit/

Helloworld!!

[Author]

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