Couple in 20s face fine for shooting rabbit
Gerard Young
Times Colonist
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Saanich police now know who shot a rabbit that was found at UVic with an arrow through its ears but the shooters who planned to eat the animal now only face a fine.
Acting Sgt. Paul Cain said Saturday that witnesses led them to a man and woman in their early 20s who live in a residence near the university campus.
A bow and about 10 arrows were confiscated, as well as a slingshot. The pair, whom police are not identifying, co-operated, admitting to shooting a half dozen other rabbits.
Cain would not comment on their motive for shooting the rabbits.
The pair wanted to come forward when they saw media coverage about the wounded rabbit. However, they feared retribution from angry members of the public.
Police received four tips, two of which led them to the man and woman. He would not say whether they were UVic students but said they do not live on campus.
No charges will be laid under the Protection of Cruelty to Animals Act or the Criminal Code, he said.
However, the pair have been issued a Saanich bylaw ticket for discharging a bow and arrow. The ticket is for $100.
"We didn't see an intent to harm the animal," Cain said, explaining someone must set out to be cruel to an animal to be charged under the act or Criminal Code.
The two did not shoot the rabbit for sport or pleasure, he said.
Victoria SPCA assistant manager Penny Stone said Cain told her the shooter's explanation for trying to kill the young male rabbit was "for food."
"I would never have believed it," she said. "I was quite surprised."
Stone believes the rabbit escaped being dinner because it probably got away though she finds it incredible the animal could flee with a three-foot arrow through both ears.
Cain said the bow and arrows were not competitive quality and can be purchased at stores such as Wal-Mart.
The black rabbit recovered and someone was expected to adopt it after going to see it Saturday.
"It's a nice, nice rabbit," Stone
said. "It will be adopted by the end of the day."
University of Victoria campus security phoned Saanich police after finding the injured rabbit behind some campus student housing.
Stone partially blames the UVic student newspaper The Martlet for encouraging the killing of rabbits for food. The paper ran a story titled Bunnies for Dinner.
At least one Vancouver newspaper reported on The Martlet story, quoting students who said eating wild bunnies was better than meat from factory farms. They said they bait cages and put them on rabbit trails.
As well, UVic manager Tony James was quoted as saying in the Vancouver Province column that rabbits are the university's main pest problem and are easy to catch if someone wanted to eat them.
No one from the student newspaper could be reached on Saturday.
But The Martlet editor-in-chief Sean Sullivan was quoted in a Province in July: "We've had some pretty angry e-mails. One person threatened to go around and trash all the papers on campus." The student society said it didn't condone killing for food.
Cain said while the story may have put ideas in the heads of some, police were unlikely to speak to the paper's editors.
David Clode, UVic's executive director of student and ancillary services, had not heard from police but expects campus security to report whether a student is involved.
If a student living in a UVic residence was responsible he would likely be kicked out of the school housing as residents sign an agreement that includes a prohibition of weapons.
However, it is unlikely there would be any other sanctions, he said. As for The Martlet, Clode has no intention of talking to its editors about the story or impinge on its editorial freedom.
"I think we realize when The Martlet does publish stories that does give some people ideas," he said. "It publishes stories you would not expect to see in any other newspaper."
But, he added, the newspaper
has smart staff who know what they are doing and it was extremely unlikely they were "advocating open warfare on rabbits."