Press Reports/Editorials

Spay-neuter solution better than cruel cull



Published: April 09, 2010 6:00 AM

0 Comments
The stance your paper has taken on the culling of rabbits at UVIC is unfortunate and misinformed.
The fact is animals are NOT what is wrong with the world. Violence is not the solution.
The cull that you cite at VGH in 1999 took place in the “dark of night,” which is where all animal abuse happens, because right-thinking people oppose it.
You have not considered the spay/neuter/release option.
You go on to say that a temporary ban on the sale of rabbits at area pet stores is in order. Why a temporary ban? We know the source of the problem, and it is unaltered animals that are sold to an apathetic public.  Ban all sales of rabbits until a spay/neuter law is in place.
A cull IS harsh, and it is NOT the only logical way to solve the problem.  Some planning and education and compassion is called for.
It’s time we rose above Neanderthal solutions and used our heads.
Kelly Carson
Esquimalt

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5 comments to UVic Bunnies – HELP prevent cull

  • Fred
    April 3rd, 2010 at 4:02 am
    I believe if these rabbits are not native to the area and they are clearly a hazard and nuisance to people and specifically athletes they should be removed. I am not aware of the health status of these rabbits however the ones sold at stores are really tasty. The uvic rabbits should be considered for human consumption if they are fit for that purpose. There is a large homeless population in Victoria and despite being less cute than the bunnies they should be afforded more help than a bunch of semi-wild free-breeding bunny-rabbits.
    Thank you
    Fred
  • admin
    April 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 pm
    Dear Fred, as we live in a country that allows free speech and ideas we will let your comment stand. I have heard this kind of thing said about the geese in various parks as well. While there is some merit to the idea of the bunnies not going to waste (if they should be culled) it is our feelings that they should be treated with more respect. And one of the reasons for those feelings is that the rabbits are there through the ignorance and thoughtlessness of people. They did not move there and decide to take up residence like geese, or rats or wild animals do. These were pet rabbits that people have abandoned. Rounding them up and killing them is akin to rounding up the homeless and putting them out of the way somewhere. Both need some compassion and understanding. Rounding up either of them will do nothing to solve the root problem. It is both cruel and a waste of time. And, BTW, if you are only posting this to get us all riled up, don’t bother. We hear comments about “eating” our pets all the time. It’s kind of boring.
    Olga
    President VRRA
  • n.l.price
    April 9th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
    keep the bunnies and like in Oak Bay and their Duck Signs we need to have Rabbit Signs around Uvic for the rabbits safety…..they are part of the “flavour” of Uvic….
  • Mercedes Yu
    April 13th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
    It’s vicious to destroy the bunnies just because they are a nuisance. Our concept of land ownership and land rights is ethnocentric, and from that misguided notion comes a sense of self-righteousness about occupying property and domination. It’s very easy for Fred to say that they are a nuisance and a hazard,and they are not native to the area, but to the rabbits, the people are the nuisance and the hazard, and it appears that the people have proven themselves to be so. I say the University people are ignorant and shouldn’t be running an educational institution because they are failing to even understand something as simple as living harmoniously with all living creatures. They are acting like barbarians, like cave men. No wonder there is no peace and only war throughout history. It’s because people like Fred are consumed by hate, not love. Otherwise he would know like I do that rabbits need to be loved, as do many other fine animals that share the planet with us. Eating animals is an act of violence Fred, and by suggesting it you are just opening up to the rest of us the ugliness beneath your facade of moral righteousness. This is not about cute factor, it’s about the imbalance of power. By your proposal, you are again advocating abusing the power that people have over animals by condemning them to dinner plates. Don’t you konw that eating animals who die with fear fills your body with toxins and probably makes you even more violent?
    The more people hunt, the more violent they get, thus the more violence in society. It’s a vicious cycle, and proponents of violence are the cause of human suffering and animal suffering alike. I am grateful to VRRA for posting this blog because it only takes a small number of people to make a fundamental change, and obviously it’s impossible for some people to see the light, because their hearts are filled by darkness.



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