Delta calling for additional controls over rabbit sales

Delta calling for additional controls over rabbit sales Delta wants the province to ban the sale of unsterilized rabbits in pet stores. Municipalities convention requesting Victoria implement legislation due to rabbit abandonment and proliferation in public areas. George Harvie, Delta's chief administrative officer, recently said the program was going well. In a December 1993 interview, SPCA superintendent Shawn Eccles warned about domestic rabbit abandonment, saying it amounts to cruelty to animals. "In Delta, a handful of rabbits abandoned five years ago has grown to a population of more than 500 rabbits which has caused significant damage to the landscaping and building foundations in the civic precinct and surrounding areas. Once sterilized, the rabbits will recover at the shelter before being relocated to the park. A program of catch, sterilize and release is problematic since feral rabbits are regulated under the Wildlife Act and finding appropriate release sites is difficult. "It is a costly and time-consuming problem that is impacting an increasing number of municipalities," the motion notes. Local veterinary clinics are supportive of the program, she said, and offered to spay and neuter the rabbits at a reduced cost. Back in the early 1990s, the Delta branch of the SPCA had a similar roundup that saw bunnies captured at Ladner Harbour Park. Several municipalities have implemented their own bylaws to regulate or ban the sale of unsterilized rabbits, including Victoria, Kelowna, Richmond and Coquitlam. However, according to Delta staff, a more effective strategy would be to implement legislation making sure consistent standards are applied throughout B. Many will also be available for adoption through the shelter at no charge. Earlier this year, the municipality launched a $60,000 program to capture, sterilize, tag and relocate hundreds rabbits in the municipal precinct. According to Delta staff, options for management of feral rabbit populations are limited. . Delta calling for additional controls over rabbit sales Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 03/04/2012