Roaming rabbits will get bolt to brain
By Staff, Kelowna Daily Courier
Saturday, November 22, 2008

A bolt to the brain will be the preferred method of doing in Kelowna‘s rabbits.

Called a penetrating captive bolt, the device shoots and then retracts the bolt from the animal‘s brain. Similar devices are used for killing livestock.

“How in the world are they going to restrain these frightened rabbits properly in order to assure a humane kill?” said Sinikka Crosland, president of The Responsible Animal Care Society.

“I have personally viewed 10 hours of kill-box footage taken at a horse slaughter plant, and numerous horses were not adequately stunned by the first bolt. The target area on a rabbit‘s head is so much smaller. Add to that a thoroughly terrified rabbit, and we have a recipe for a lot of suffering.”

EBB Environmental Consulting has been contracted by the city to deal with the rabbit population explosion. The company was in the stew recently when someone saw one of its employees stomping a rabbit to death after a pellet failed to kill it.

Lethal injection has been considered, but the toxins would render the carcasses unfit as food, primarily for birds of prey.

Trapping has proved difficult because people are feeding the rabbits so it‘s difficult to lure them into the traps.

The city‘s Ian Wilson said the SPCA has ok‘d use of the bolt gun as humane.

“We have directed the contractor, EBB, to live trap the animals,” said Wilson. “Our preference is to give the live animals to rescue groups who can have the animals spayed or neutered and help to find new homes for them.

“However, some of the local groups that we have spoken to are not able to accept additional rabbits without additional funding, due to significant costs.”

Said Crosland: “EBB has not offered any caught rabbits to TRACS. As of Wednesday, they had not offered any to the local SPCA branch, nor to the Rabbit Advocacy Group in Vancouver.”

She said TRACS has taken 350 rabbits off the streets. They are being cared for in foster homes and sanctuaries.

“It is the view of TRACS that city parks‘ lethal management strategies for rabbits have to date been cruel and totally unacceptable,” said Crosland.

“What will it take for Kelowna to rise above engaging in animal cruelty and consider humane, non-lethal intervention instead?”