UVic rabbits heading to Washington animal sanctuary via the PNE
Seventy-five feral rabbits being transplanted from the University of Victoria campus will have a temporary home in Vancouver en route to an animal sanctuary in Washington state.
The PNE is providing free space for the rabbits in a barn on the Hastings Park grounds, said Sorelle Saidman, a Vancouver resident helping with the rescue effort.
Before they are transported to the Precious Life Animal Sanctuary in Sequim, Washington, the rabbits must be sterilized, Saidman told the Straight today (December 17) by phone.
The first 35 rabbits are set to arrive on the PNE grounds tomorrow. The rest are expected to make the trip before January. The stay at the PNE will ease pressure to transport the animals across the border too quickly, Saidman said.
“We’re planning on having a fairly leisurely stroll down to Washington, so we’re going to give them plenty of time to get healthy before they get spayed and neutered and then plenty of time to recover,” she said. “I don’t expect they’ll be going down there until mid-January.”
Saidman has approval from the Ministry of Environment to transfer the rabbits from the university campus to the animal sanctuary.
It is estimated hundreds of feral rabbits, likely abandoned pets or their descendents, had been living on the university grounds.
University officials have expressed concern about risks to health and safety, as well as property damage on the campus from the rabbits.
Animal advocates came forward with efforts to relocate the animals amid concerns about planned culling.
In recent months, several hundred rabbits have been captured and removed from the UVic grounds.
The B.C. government has also approved the relocation of rabbits to sanctuaries on Vancouver Island and in Texas.
The university has said it plans to allow around 200 rabbits to remain in a designated area on campus.
Comments
12 Comments
P
Dec 17, 2010 at 5:52pm
This is ridiculous. Tuiton fees are going up yet we haev teh funds to transport rabbits to Texas
Daniel
Dec 17, 2010 at 10:38pm
The university is not paying. This is all by donations.
P
Dec 18, 2010 at 11:33am
Gee Daniel
you mean all the maintenace, the grounds repairs, the trapping, the shipping etc is all by donations?
"The project will also identify the most effective methods and administrative structures for a long-term management plan as well as potential costs, the community’s capacity to respond and support a large-scale initiative, and the level of external resources—such as donations and sponsorships—that can be made available to assist."
More than just external reources from what I see. They are rabbits if they were rats we wouldn't be catching and transporting them. We need a reality check as to what our priorities are, the sad thing is the next time we want to increase educational spending this will be brought up as an example of how funds and efforts are expended.
Janet
Dec 18, 2010 at 11:39am
This is wonderful, thanks PNE for your help!
mad dogg
Dec 18, 2010 at 1:46pm
rabbits are very tasty
Soup Lover
Dec 18, 2010 at 2:01pm
Man what a waste of money and time. Common sense has not been realized here. So frustrating.....
the Pope
Dec 18, 2010 at 2:44pm
with all the famine around,these rabbits would feed a lot of people...
Lucille
Dec 18, 2010 at 3:48pm
You want a waste of time and money-spending tax $$ on wars, keeping convicts in prison, and a lot of other low-lifes who drain the good citizens of this province of hard-earned money. We can't support all the needy and whiners of the world. I'd much rather donate to saving the lives of animals and the rabbits deserve the right to live just like we expect.
the Pope
Dec 19, 2010 at 12:54pm
Lucille,those rabbits would feed a lot of people down on their luck.Unless you have been there Lucille, You have no right to judge...
Beelermom
Dec 19, 2010 at 5:19pm
Thank you for all the wonderful work you do for these sentient beings. This is a step forward to showing the masses that people care, and do good for four-legged companions. My face-grooming bunnies are cheering your efforts. Keep up the great work with spays and neuters and education for companion pets.