http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story--10-.htm
Be cruel or be kind?
To the editor:
RE: Culling of rabbits remains an option
While Kelowna's leaders debated the fate of the remaining feral rabbits at the most recent Council meeting this Monday, it seemed somehow ironic that a team of experienced rabbit rescuers in attendance at the meeting was not permitted to clarify misinformation liberally bandied about by certain councillors (the public is not allowed to speak at Council meetings). But if TRACS could have provided input, this is what we would have said:
a.. Rabbits are not "rodents", as emphatically claimed by Councillor Graeme James. They belong to the order Lagomorpha, which also includes hares and pikas.
a.. Contrary to statements made at the meeting, it is not extremely difficult to trap rabbits in the warmer months of the year. TRACS has now humanely removed close to 450 rabbits off the streets of Kelowna, and the majority of these were caught during the spring, summer and fall of 2008. These animals are now receiving the good care they deserve in foster homes and sanctuaries. Further, it has been claimed by City staff as well as EBB (the company hired to deal with the bunnies) that rabbits are not likely to reproduce in the winter. It is interesting that TRACS has trapped juveniles as well as pregnant rabbits all year long (including very recently).
a.. Since January, when EBB was instructed to live-trap and give rabbits to rescue groups, they certainly complied and the groups received 13 rabbits in a period of three weeks. During the same period of time, TRACS volunteers (during lunch breaks and after their working day) caught 15 rabbits in ten days. EBB's contract recently ran out, and they caught no more. Rabbit defenders in the community continued to work, however, taking 34 additional rabbits off the streets.
a.. Councillor Graeme James states that he is not comfortable spending taxpayers' money on rabbits. He favours lethal methods. This begs the question: what is the difference to the taxpayer if EBB receives a salary for doing the job, or if rabbit rescuers volunteer their time to catch the animals, applying funding to sterilization instead?
a.. Councillor James assumes that taxpayers do not want humane animal control to be funded with their money. He forgets that many taxpayers in the city favour the kind treatment of animals. Rabbits are as dear to the hearts of many citizens as are cats and dogs.
The bottom line is this. Kelowna can choose to be cruel or to be kind. If kindness costs no more to the taxpayer than the mass-killing of an endearing species of animal, in what direction would an ethical City Council wish to navigate?
Respectfully yours,
Sinikka Crosland, President, TRACS