Kelowna News

It seems persistence has paid off for The Responsible Animal Care Society (TRACS).

City Council is expected to award a rabbit maintenance contract to the Kelowna animal rights group when it meets Monday.

Parks Services Manager, Ian Wilson, says proposals were sent to nine proponents and only TRACS responded with a quote.

"The TRACS proposal was good and it met all of our criteria, so that is what we are recommending," says Wilson.

The contract with Delta based EBB Environmental Consulting expired earlier this month.

That contract was extended two weeks while the City looked for an organization to provide on-going maintenance and control of the remaining feral rabbit population.

Earlier this month, Wilson indicated no more than 100 rabbits remained, mostly along the Enterprise Way corridor.

He says that number has likely been reduced over the past few weeks through the work of EBB and TRACS.

TRACS bid $11,550 for the one year maintenance contract to capture, spay/neuter and find homes for the remaining feral rabbits.

Wilson says the remainder of the $20,000 budgeted for the project will go towards a public education plan.

The Community and Media Relations Department at City Hall are working on that plan.

Meantime, with Easter less than a month away, Wilson says he is concerned more "pet" rabbits could find themselves set free in the city.

"People buy these rabbits for pets at Easter and when they get them home, they are not quite the animal or the pet they expected, and unfortunately those animals sometimes get released or abandoned into the environment. I would urge people not to buy rabbits on impulse."

There is a bylaw in place now in Kelowna making it illegal for stores to sell rabbits that have not been spayed or neutered.