Feral rabbits to be culled in Kelowna

Kelowna city council has contracted a company to eliminate its exploding population of feral rabbits.

EBB Environmental Consultants won the contract on Monday with its bid to trap and kill hundreds, or perhaps even thousands, of rabbits that have taken over the city's lawns and parks in recent years.

But with a municipal election looming in November, the city council is also aware the idea of killing bunnies might be a good way to commit political suicide, so they're asking the company to look for a non-lethal alternative.

Many residents just want the rabbits gone, and they are not picky about how it's done.

"It's just got into such a bad situation right now, that I don't care if they kill 'em," said resident George Keim as he stood outside his Kelowna home.

As he talked, dozens of the furry invaders occupied the yard around his house, destroying gardens and lawns, even digging up the foundations of his house.

"There's got to be 25, 30, if not even more, and if it gets as bad as last summer, we'll look at a 100,150, 200, maybe, out there," said Keim, who has had to replace his flower gardens with piles of rocks and surround his house with chicken wire.

The decision to hire a pest control contractor to trap and kill the rabbits does not sit well with everyone, especially Sinikka Crosland, the director of the Responsible Animal Care Society.

"Wouldn't it be good to look at a humane solution, a totally humane solution? Not always having the trigger happy response: 'Let's kill whatever is causing the problem.' …These animals also have a right to be here," said Crosland on Monday.

There is some hope that some of the bunnies might be spared. City council did pass a resolution asking staff to renegotiate the pest control contract to encourage a more humane option.

It is not clear yet what that solution might be, but Crosland said her group would be happy to trap all the rabbits in Kelowna and keep them in a secure pen for the rest of their lives.