Trio seen hanging dead rabbit outside UVic health-food eatery

Times Colonist
Thursday, March 24, 2005

Three males were caught on a surveillance camera early Wednesday morning as they hung a dead rabbit outside a health-food restaurant at the University of Victoria.

Graffiti denouncing vegetarians was also found at the eatery, located close to student residences at UVic's Cadboro Commons.

University security gave the camera images to Saanich police, but they do not appear to be of sufficient quality to help with identification, said UVic spokeswoman Patty Pitts.

The disturbing episode is the latest in a series of incidents involving rabbits at UVic, where a considerable population of the creatures lives among the brush and trees around the campus.

A UVic rabbit was found with an arrow through its ears last fall. Saanich police eventually tracked down a man and a woman who admitted to shooting six or seven rabbits, likely for food.

The pair escaped animal cruelty charges because of a lack of intent to inflict harm, but were fined $100 for contravening a municipal bylaw by discharging a bow and arrow.

Last September, a second-year UVic student pleaded guilty to animal cruelty for an incident in February 2004 in which he punched a rabbit after catching it when he was drunk. The rabbit died from its injuries.

The student was given an absolute discharge after expressing remorse for his actions.