No choice but to euthanize rabbits, say Canmore officials

CALGARY – The town of Canmore is days away from a deal to euthanize thousands of feral rabbits.

The town says it’s just finalizing an agreement with a contractor to capture and then kill the rabbits.

Town officials say they have no choice because the population is out of control.

The bunnies are damaging properties and luring predators, like coyotes, into the downtown.

“Some areas of the town are overrun. The big concern is that the overall footprint of the rabbits has grown significantly over the past few years and has increased,” says Sally Caudill, Town of Canmore.

The City of Calgary has offered its animal clinic to help spay and neuter the feral rabbits so they can be taken to a sanctuary.

However, Canmore officials say at this point no volunteer group has proven organized enough to take possession of the rabbits and relocate them.

The cull is expected to begin later this month.