Kelowna

Feeding rabbits against the law

The Regional District of Central Okanagan is asking people visiting Mission Creek Regional Park to resist the urge to feed feral rabbits.



Communications Coordinator Bruce Smith says the small population of rabbits not native to the park are being humanely trapped and handled for adoption by The Responsible Animal Care Society or TRACS.



Smith says feeding animals in a regional park is contrary to RDCO bylaws.



"People have been dropping off lettuce, carrots and even alfalfa pellets to feed the rabbits. Some have been setting off traps that TRACS has placed in the park to humanely capture the feral rabbits," says Smith.



"We are stepping up our enforcement of the bylaw and anyone caught feeding the rabbits will receive a $50 ticket. If you witness any suspicious people or activity in a Regional Park please report it to our Parks Services staff or call our Parks Services office at 250-469-6232 and provide your information.”



Smith says the rabbit population in Mission Creek Regional Park coule result in an increase in predator wildlife such as coyotes, hawks and cougars which could pose safety concerns to park users.



“We certainly don’t want to have any animal-people conflicts as a result of people feeding these non-native rabbits and sustaining the population. By feeding the feral rabbits, you are defeating our effort to work with TRACS to humanely remove these non-native creatures from our park.”



Since the summer, the Regional District has noticed an increasing number of feral domestic rabbits inhabiting an area of Mission Creek Regional Park.



It’s believed the rabbits may have been pets that people, for whatever reason, have dropped off in the 92-hectare park.