BROOMFIELD, Colo. (CBS4) – A homeowner’s association in Broomfield is facing backlash from residents over a controversial plan to kill rabbits on the property.

According to the HOA’s management company, ravenous rabbits are roaming through a Broomfield neighborhood chewing their way through the landscaping.

After several attempts to discourage the rabbits by eliminating places for them to make homes, a letter went out to residents last week from a pest control company.

Sally Tasker says the word “removal” had her believe the rabbits would be relocated until she talked to an HOA board member.

“And I asked him, what does removing the rabbits mean and he said they would be killing the rabbits,” said Tasker.

She says the manner in which the order will be carried out is even worse.

“So they’re going to trap the rabbits in 60 cages and as we walk around our neighborhood we’re going to see these animals trapped awaiting their execution,” said Tasker.

Tasker says the new tactic is extreme and that the bunnies are part of the neighborhood’s charm along with other wildlife that lives on the nearby open space.

“Certainly the appeal is we have rabbits, we have coyotes we can see out there, we hear the owls, we have eagles and we’ve seen hawks,” said Tasker.

She hopes the board rethinks its decision and opts for something more humane.

“What do I tell my granddaughter when the bunnies are gone or she sees them in a trap? What are we going to say? We killed the rabbits because they ate our flowers,” said Tasker.

The management company for the HOA issued a statement saying that it is in the best interest for the community and that it has tried other measures in the past to get rid of the rabbits.

It also mentioned a board meeting in April where this plan was first presented where there were over 70 residents there and there was no opposition from the audience.