Now is your chance to save a rabbit. If you cannot stand the thought of 2‚000 rabbits being sent to the slaughter‚ you have an opportunity to adopt one of the furry creatures.
The City of Ekurhuleni said on Monday it would donate the rabbits to Johannesburg Zoo as food for carnivores. The decision was taken to ease overpopulation at Benoni Bunny Park.
“If you are interested in adopting a rabbit‚ you can go to the bunny park and fill in an adoption form for application‚” Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe said.
“(Adoption can be done) either as individuals or an organisation and we will take it from there. We are hoping to complete the whole process by December‚” said Gadebe.
The city insists on sterilising the rabbits before giving them away as it “doesn’t want to find a situation where people have overpopulation in their private homes”.
Gadebe said the culling would be carried out in a humane way.
“Both ourselves as a city and Joburg Zoo are guided by the Animal Protection Act. All welfare concerns of the animals will be considered — from capturing‚ loading‚ transportation‚ and handling of the bunnies until the humane euthanasia of the animals‚ ensuring minimal stress. We will do that with our local animal groups that we work with‚” he said.
Authorities have already sterilised and relocated 750 rabbits at a cost of R300‚000‚ but officials said it would not be financially viable to sterilise them all.
There is no limit to how many rabbits one can adopt. The municipality plans to leave only 50 sterilised rabbits in separate enclosures at the park.
Save a rabbit from becoming bunny chow
The City of Ekurhuleni said on Monday it would donate the rabbits to Johannesburg Zoo as food for carnivores. The decision was taken to ease overpopulation at Benoni Bunny Park.
“If you are interested in adopting a rabbit‚ you can go to the bunny park and fill in an adoption form for application‚” Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe said.
“(Adoption can be done) either as individuals or an organisation and we will take it from there. We are hoping to complete the whole process by December‚” said Gadebe.
The city insists on sterilising the rabbits before giving them away as it “doesn’t want to find a situation where people have overpopulation in their private homes”.
Gadebe said the culling would be carried out in a humane way.
“Both ourselves as a city and Joburg Zoo are guided by the Animal Protection Act. All welfare concerns of the animals will be considered — from capturing‚ loading‚ transportation‚ and handling of the bunnies until the humane euthanasia of the animals‚ ensuring minimal stress. We will do that with our local animal groups that we work with‚” he said.
Authorities have already sterilised and relocated 750 rabbits at a cost of R300‚000‚ but officials said it would not be financially viable to sterilise them all.
There is no limit to how many rabbits one can adopt. The municipality plans to leave only 50 sterilised rabbits in separate enclosures at the park.
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