BC SPCA against rabbit cull
by Castanet Staff - Story: 42204
Oct 2, 2008 / 4:30 pm

The BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is the latest organization to speak out against Kelowna's rabbit cull.

The provincial SPCA is urging the city to suspend the rabbit cull and cancel its contract with EBB Environmental Consulting after an EBB employee was caught stomping a rabbit to death after wounding it with a rifle on the weekend.

"The actions of EBB demonstrates a complete lack of concern for animal welfare and we are deeply concerned about how the cull of the rabbit population has proceeded. It is disturbing enough that the community's abandonment of these rabbits has led to the need for a cull, but it is inexcusable that the animals would be allowed to suffer even more through the process," says BC SPCA Chief Executive Officer, Craig Daniell.

Cruelty Investigator General Manager, Marcie Moriarty, says animal cruelty charges are not possible in this case, since provincial cruelty laws do not apply to wildlife such as feral rabbits.

"It is extremely frustrating, but our hands are tied and we have no legal options to pursue in this case," says Moriarty.

"Despite repeated efforts by the BC SPCA and other animal welfare organizations across Canada, successive federal governments have done nothing to strengthen animal cruelty laws under the Criminal Code."

Moriarty says the BC SPCA is urging the city to suspend the cull until it can guarantee more humane methods of trapping and relocating or euthanizing the rabbits.

"It is clear that EBB Consulting is not taking the welfare of the animals into consideration and we strongly appeal to the city to take action before any more rabbits are subjected to pain and suffering."

While not suspending the cull entirely, the city has suspended the use of air rifles in the killing of rabbits until a full investigation is conducted.

That investigation is expected to be complete sometime next week.