What a horrific and cruel way to die. Stomped on multiple times before your neck is snapped. In a story from the Daily Courier dated September 18th, Kelowna's urban forest supervisor, Ian Wilson, gave reassurances that the use of an air rifle "is very humane, a very quick way of putting down an animal and that it "could be used to put down a coyote." It was reiterated in other reports that a single shot would be enough. Not this time, and who knows how many other instances there have been. Concerns of stray pellets and those not accurately hitting their mark were raised by a number of animal welfarists and the public before the contract to exterminate the rabbits was given to EBB. The BC SPCA, however, had stated in an August 13, 2008 story on Castanet, that it "doesn't have a problem" with using an air rifle.

These rabbits are of the European variety, companion animals and their offspring, that have been dumped outdoors after they're no longer wanted. They're bred for the pet industry, just like kittens and puppies, yet they somehow don't have the same status. Why not? Would the mass slaughter of unwanted dogs and cats be condoned?

Everybody connected with this barbarous fiasco ought to be held accountable. Let's hope there is enough evidence for Crown to lay charges of animal cruelty and this ugly incident will be enough to end the killing spree.