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Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters
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Feverishly multiplying bunnies taking over Valley Ridge By PABLO FERNANDEZ The community of Valley Ridge is being overrun by bunnies, a situation that has an animal rescue agency pleading with Calgarians not to purchase rabbits as pets. Dozens of rabbits have made yards and green spaces in the northwest Calgary community their home. They are feasting on gardens and provoking the ire of residents, some who have called for the culling of the growing bunny population. The city doesn't want to euthanize the animals, which are already facing death at the jaws of coyotes or the harsh looming winter, said Bill Bruce with Calgary Bylaw and Animal Services. "They're a concern because they attract coyote activity and there's concern about their welfare," he said. "These are domestic animals who have been let loose ... they're not equipped to handle Alberta winters." Captured rabbits are being kept in host homes until they get shipped to a sanctuary in the Okanagan area of B.C. Run, rabbit, run
Calgary
Herald
Rabbit stew is taboo
Just because thoughtless people have dumped their pet rabbits outside to fend for themselves is no reason to suggest they be re-victimized again by having them butchered to feed the homeless and hungry. I seriously doubt the editorial would have proposed this if it were cats or dogs. It's callous human attitudes and actions that has Valley Ridge and communities everywhere flooded with cast-off bunnies. One way to help end the abandonment and reduce populations is to have all pet stores stop selling rabbits.
Comment: We are continuing with our campaigns to have pet stores stop selling rabbits and are running an ad in the Calgary Herald on October 23rd. We are also asking that the Calgary Humane Society support our efforts. Once again we are asking the public to support our campaigns to stop rabbit sales in pet stores. We ran a previous ad in the Calgary Herald on June 7, 2007 and at the same time created an online petition and letter to Petcetera asking that the sale of rabbits be stopped in stores Canada-wide. Residents of Alberta are having concerns of multiplying rabbits not only in Canmore but in Calgary as well. The casual dumping of domestic rabbits once the novelty has worn off has many communities facing the dilemma of how to handle growing populations. Carmina Gooch October 20, 2007
Calgary Humane Society, Further to our earlier correspondence to you, dated May 3, 2007 and May 29, 2007, copies of which are attached for your reference, we again write to bring attention to the situation of abandoned pet rabbits multiplying out of control in Alberta. The concern of Calgary residents regarding the pet rabbits being dumped into the Valley Ridge neighbourhood and proliferating unchecked is now becoming an issue. Pet stores and casual breeders are flooding the market with baby rabbits, most of whom are bought on impulse and subsequently abandoned once the novelty has worn off. There is no consideration for the future well-being of these creatures; the bottom line is profit over lives. The cost to the communities and rescue organizations who are busy trying to cope with the multitudes of cast-offs is enormous in both tax dollars and animal suffering. The Town of Canmore was highlighted in a National Post newspaper story (March 17, 2007 – article attached) as it struggled to deal with an out of control domestic rabbit population crisis caused by irresponsible dumping of unwanted pet rabbits. The town is now in a quandary on what to do about the situation. Valley Ridge in Calgary is the latest to experience a similar dilemma. Colonies of abandoned domestic rabbits will continue to spring up all over and, unless the breeding and selling of unneutered rabbits is stopped, the trend will continue, unabated. Please join our efforts and ask Petcetera and other pet stores to discontinue selling rabbits. There are enormous numbers of homeless ones waiting to be adopted and countless others being put down because there are not enough good homes. If the Calgary Humane Society, the Edmonton Humane Society and the public combine efforts, we will be successful in reducing populations. Please visit the following websites to join our rabbit campaign and lessen the cruelty and avoidable community predicaments with dumped abandoned rabbits in Alberta. Animal welfare demands we address this situation.
Sincerely,
Cc: Edmonton Humane Society |