Dear Editor,

While I have recently moved from Kelowna to Vancouver, I am still interested
in news in and around my 'hometown'.
I was appalled to read about the January 30 bludgeoning death of some of the
wild rabbits that have lived in the Leckie Road/Hunter Court area.
Living in Dilworth, I often spotted and enjoyed the wild rabbit population
in the adjoining area.

The fact that a woman from the area saw two teenagers with a baseball bat
who were allegedly trying to 'catch rabbits' only confirms to me that our
society is too soft on crime. Way too soft.
If teenagers think for one moment that they can get away with even thinking
of such a heinous, cowardly crime, there is something very wrong with the
message we give them about what's right and wrong and the courts usually
confirm this by their silly little sentences.

Teenagers talk to one another, so it is highly possible that these teens
talked about their disgusting killing to one or some of their friends.
How come no teenager has come forward to tell the police??
Where are those teenagers that do NOT think killing animals is cool????
ANYONE who knows about these youths' unspeakable crime, should come forward
or they are just as disgusting as the killers.

It takes a lot of despicable guts to beat some defenseless rabbits to death
and yet, I already know that if and when these teens are caught, the
almighty justice system will forgive and forget, as always.
A wrist on their murderous little hands, maybe some community service and
perhaps even a pitifully short probation term is all they would get...

And yet, once again, in this case punishment should fit the crime no matter
whether they are young, have been drinking or have some emotional problems.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, makes this kind of a crime acceptable and it is
about time that judges wake up from their continuing slumber in the courts
and punish the very worst among us: those who enjoy killing for no reason at
all.

A society where crimes such as these are soon to be forgotten, is a very
poor society indeed!

Manon Keij