Control rabbits, don't kill them
Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, September 09, 2008
The rabbits have been part of UVic's branding for many years. Everyone agrees that the bunnies are domesticated when they arrive at the university and that this continues as they are fed. Regardless of the education program, most people will ignore the call not to feed them, because they will see that as an offence under animal control legislation by knowingly bringing suffering or harm to an animal.
Many organic products exist which target the rabbits' fear response. The products use scents of predator urine to deter bunnies from a given area. The cost of this product to control rabbits on the sport fields would be a small investment to avoid a rabbit cull.
Excellent examples of large organizations dealing with a feral animal population are provided by both CFB Esquimalt and CFB Halifax. The committee set up to address the feral cat population at both bases came up with a plan that saw every department on each base contribute funds, which were used to spay and neuter the feral cats. Some were released back into the areas on the bases and others put up for adoption. Representatives from each base negotiated a lower cost to perform the operations with local vets. I know, because I was one of the committee members.
William Perry
Victoria
Comment: Research involving the modification of plants that would make rabbits sterile is being carried out at institutions such as Murdoch University, Australia.
Misinformation on bunny 'hazard'
Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, September 09, 2008
As someone who has kept rabbits for many years, I am perplexed by the article "Bunnies are hazardous, UVic warns" (Sept. 6).
While I support UVic's efforts to curb its rabbit population and wholeheartedly oppose the abandonment of any species of pet, I am not aware of the "hazardous diseases" Neil Connelly claims are carried by rabbits.
Unlike dogs and cats, rabbits do not require immunization to combat infectious diseases.
No immunizations are required to transport rabbits across the border or to import them into Canada or the U.S. - simply a vet check. Other than the extremely rare tularemia, the contention that feral rabbits "spread disease," implying transferability to humans, is without basis. And while all mammals can contract rabies, it's almost nonexistent in rodent and lagomorph (rabbit) populations.
Raccoons, skunks and bats are the most common carriers.
Additionally, the suggestion to ban the sale of unspayed and unneutered rabbits "except to licensed breeders" begs the question as to how this could be accomplished. The breeders of any other species (dogs, cats) in the Greater Victoria area are not required to be "licensed."
As we have seen with the increase of spaying and neutering in these species, public education is the key, not simply more legislation in the form of "licensing."
We could start the education process with the spread of more accurate information.
Lois Fernyhough
Victoria