Johannesburg - Two animal welfare groups will take action against the Ekurhuleni Metro because of its proposed plan to euthanise rabbits at the Rynfield Bunny Park in Benoni.
An email, sent by Jaco Burger of the metro’s parks and cemeteries division to Ban Animal Trading (Bat) and the Bunny Park Animals 911 Group on Thursday, gave a two-step approach to dealing with the overpopulation of rabbits in the park “in the most humane way possible”.
The first proposed step was to let the public adopt rabbits over a two-month period, with the metro offering to cover the cost of sterilising the animals.
After that, “over a two- or three-month period, we will catch the remaining rabbits and take them to an abattoir to be euthanised,” the email stated.
Fifty sterilised rabbits would remain in an enclosure at the park.
But Tania Forrest-Smith of the 911 group said that this was contrary to their agreement with the metro.
For the past seven months, the group has been relying on donations to feed the rabbits and farm animals, which had been suffering from starvation, diseases and neglect. They have been in regular talks with metro staff to ensure improved conditions of the animals and the park.
“Victor Nesengani (the divisional head of parks and cemeteries) gave us his word that no rabbits would be euthanised or sent to an abattoir,” Forrest-Smith said.
“We have offered to sort out, at EMM’s expense, the re-homing of the rabbits. We’ve got places that are willing to take these animals (but) you cannot re-home over 3 000 animals in two months. Sending them to the abattoir is going to be a bloodbath. We are vehemently opposed to this.”
In response to Burger’s email, Bat sent a response with alternative proposals, including closing the park for three months so that all the rabbits could be captured, sterilised, treated and re-homed at EMM’s cost and with the assistance of the animal welfare groups.
Burger’s response to this was that he would turn to the public for their opinion on the future of the park’s animals.
The metro’s spokesman, Themba Gadebe, said that consultation with the public and other specialists would be taken into consideration regarding the future of the park and its animals.
@Gabi_Falanga
The Star
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