Backgrounder: UVic Concludes Rabbit Pilot Project

Common Ground co-ordinated the capture of 51 rabbits.

•Approximately 14 community members offered to volunteer for the project and $800 was raised to help defray project costs.

•Two veterinary clinics participated in the pilot project.

•Fifty-one feral rabbits were captured over eight hours using five traps with the assistance of volunteers. One rabbit was euthanized due to poor health. Two rabbits were pregnant and each gave birth to five babies. One kit did not survive; adoptive homes have been identified for the others following sterilization (only babies born in captivity are eligible for adoption into private homes under Ministry of Environment regulations).

•Two of the rabbits had already been spayed—presumably former pets of owners who had them for some time. In all, 48 rabbits were sterilized.

•Common Ground reports that most of the animals were malnourished and several of the animals were injured.

•The cost of the rabbit pilot project was $17, 743 including compensation for the contractor, transportation, veterinary services, feed, bedding and cage construction.