On March 18, 2008, both the Globe and Mail, "When Easter bunnies aren't so cute", and the Kelowna Daily Courier, "Bunny conundrum: to kill or not to kill", had articles on the controversy over what to do about exploding rabbit populations. These are domesticated rabbits that have been dumped into communities once they become unwanted. With a gestation period of one month it doesn't take long for colonies to establish themselves.

Kelowna Council is busy considering all options on how to handle the bunny issue. Business owners have complained that their landscaping has been destroyed and Councillor Hobson is worried about possible crop damage. Councillor Carol Gran earlier endorsed killing as the most "common sense" approach and said the cull should be put into perspective, adding that "we kill and butcher nice little calves, cows and chickens." After meeting with some Grade 3 students she's changed her mind, feeling it would set a bad example for the kids.

The debate continues, with council expected to make a decision next month, on which program should be endorsed and paid for by the city.

Kelowna Daily Courier
Published Friday, March 21, 2008

A little caring....

Human action is directly responsible for all the abandoned rabbits in Kelowna, and elsewhere.

Initially, Councillor Gran thought that because we kill and butcher animals like calves and chickens, we may as well kill homeless rabbits as well. It took some Grade 3 students to point out this thoughtless inhumanity before she changed her mind.

And Councillor Hobson's concern is crop damage. What about compassion and some common-sense legislation that would address the breeding and selling of unsterilized rabbits?

Reactive control measures are costly, both financially and in terms of innocent lives lost. Kindness to all creatures is perhaps a lesson we all need to learn.

Carmina Gooch
Rabbit Advocacy Group of B.C.,
North Vancouver