Editor:
Canmore rabbits – hoppy Easter message:
Canmore officials decided to pay kill contractors $50,000 per year, plus other expenses. Every year, as long as it takes. After two months of trapping, about 400 rabbits were caught, costing about $130/rabbit – so why not just save them ?
Why pay $130 per rabbit to only trap rabbits, when that same money could subsidize trapping, spay-neuter, relocating and long-term care by rabbit rescue groups?
It is better to get more value and tourism-friendly rescue services for your tax dollars.
With spay-neuter, relocate everyone wins. Everyone works to a common, happy goal.
Rabbit rescue groups will work hard to get this done quickly as they know there is limited donations and time because the longer it takes, the more rabbits will breed.
However, before a more positive, mutually beneficial solution can be realized, Canmore residents have to ask for change in how the rabbit contract bids are written and decided.
First – trapping is simple. Trapping can easily be done by people 16 years of age or older. This is not rocket science, but Canmore officials make it sound to be the most expensive part of the contract. Put cage on ground, open door, put in food, walk away. Check for rabbit every six hours. Take rabbit to safe place. Most people can do that.
Second – make bidding fair. (1) To qualify for the contract, rescue groups had to have the rescue money up front, but kill contractors did not have to provide the same amount of security funds. (2) Rescue groups could not use “trapping” contract funds to pay any costs such as spay-neuter, relocate or long-term care. This restriction prevented rescue groups from using internal cost savings. Yet kill contractors could spend the contract money however they wanted.
Third – sanctuaries. A reason Canmore gave for refusing to allow transfer of rabbits out of Canada to U.S. sanctuaries. This blocked ARC’s great proposal and my proposal too.
One place I personally visited was Precious Life Animal Sanctuary in Washington state. The people and facility are excellent, capable of holding at least 500 rabbits – with lots of room to expand. Steel mesh fence, great shelters, plenty of food and protected space to just be rabbits. They have been caring for rabbits for over six years that arrived from other areas with about 75 University of Victoria rabbits. They were all in good health. But nothing is free, so for any sanctuary, rescue groups need “trapping contracts” to pay long term costs.
Fourth – rescue groups may also be unfairly prevented by the new bylaw from trapping, which now restricts trapping to those who do so as an occupation. If you want to save money or rabbits, you may want to ask your town council to change the bylaw, and you may have to petition for a vote if they are still clinging to their outdated pro-kill thinking.
Start questioning your town officials about propaganda that favours kill contractors and profits by killing. Canmore residents have to demand that Canmore provides fair and equal opportunities to rescue groups without unfair burdens, barriers or restrictions.
Up here in farm country around Edmonton, in pioneer days our grandparents and parents looked for good ways to help each other out. I hope you find that pioneer spirit of caring which helped make this province a great place to live. Try to find it in your hearts to care enough for animals that just want a fair chance to enjoy the gift of life they were given, and to also help those people and young children who care so much about them.
Dan Onischuk,
Edmonton
