CALGARY — Out-of-control feral rabbits, once at risk of being put to death in an Alberta mountain community, may end up living “hoppily” ever after.
Canmore faced the wrath of animal lovers last year for its plan to destroy about 2,000 rabbits. The rabbits were originally pets but were released in the 1990s and started doing what bunnies do best. Canmore officials say the population grew to the point where there was one rabbit for every six people in the town of 12,000.
The town has said the rabbits are too plentiful and could attract cougars and coyotes looking for an easy snack.
Canmore originally hired a contractor to trap the animals and was planning to have them euthanized. However, a deal with an animal rescue group, the Earth Animal Rescue Society (EARS), was worked out and all of the rabbits so far have gone there.
The town says that the trapping of the critters ran from January until the end of March and 213 rabbits were successfully sterilized and are now living in a local rabbit sanctuary. “There were no rabbits euthanized by the contractor,” reads the report.
Susan Vickery, who has been working with EARS from her home in Coombs, B.C., said a wave of cash came in from the public during the month of March after it was made public that her group had run out of money and that it would be unable to save any other rabbits. “It’s nice to see that people do respond at crisis time, that they didn’t just keep their heads in the sand,” Vickery said in an interview.