Possibly dumped domestic rabbits at park -- what to do?

[adrian]

At my nearby waterfowl park, I have noticed this year that there are domestic rabbits hopping around. They are not kept within a fence; they go everywhere. They are obviously domestics. Little black rabbit, little white one, some multi-colored ones... I noticed that they suddenly appeared this spring. While they have been there all summer (although I'm not sure all have survived), we have extremely harsh winters here and I am unsure whether these little guys would be equipped to survive it. Not only that, but we have intense summers -- intense heat, intense storms.

What is a person to do? I wouldn't mind taking them myself and finding them homes if necessary, but I do not want them to die. I admit to not knowing much about rabbits and whether domestics are equipped to survive such harsh weather. Mind you, our winters are extremely snowy and often get below -40 degrees celsius.

If anyone has any idea what I should do, it would be a great help...

 

[zazouse]

 

[adrian]

So are you suggesting that it is bad because they can cause problems with wildlife, or good because they can adapt?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Regardless of the video, which doesn't present a solution, I would contact your humane society or local animal control to ask if they can be trapped and re-homed. I don't think first-generation domestic bunnies (rejects from Easter maybe?) have the genes or skills to survive extreme conditions, be it heat or cold.

You are a good person to notice the problem and to want to do something about it.

 

[zazouse]

Quote:
It's just a video about what has happened somewhere else.

I doubt they adapt although i have domestic rabbits running around my place and they do just fine.

I would contact the park and see if they may be the ones that put them there, bad thing if people see this and have rabbits they may also dump them in the park when thy tire of them rather than deal with finding them a good home.

 

[skeeter03]

Get rid of them!!!!!
someone around my sisters house let out a couple of bunnies now the neighborhood is flooded with bunnies and they are trying to figure out what to do with them all - me I say SOUP KITCHEN!! but noooooo they are to cute to kill- blah- they make good eats.
They destroy my sisters garden every year - ruin her yard by digging everywhere they are a real nuisance. and there are alot of places that have to deal with this problem. not only that soon they will attract larger predators into the park cause its such good eating for them.
dont let those bunnies do their bunny thing or you will be over run with those things

 

[redhen]

Contact the humane society and ask them to help...

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Quote:
I agree.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Non-native species, or "invasive" species, can wreak havoc on the natural ecosystem, even if they are "just rabbits", they aren't meant to be there. Nature has a way of keeping things in check, and releasing any domesticated animal into the wild has the potential to create catastrophic results. The best thing to do would be to contact the local animal control office so they can be alerted to the situation and take care of it before it becomes an even bigger problem.

 

[adrian]

Thank you, everyone, for your help! I will contact the humane society and ask them if it is okay to catch them, or if not, what can be done with them. I believe they used to be pets -- you can get right up to them, even touch them. They also look fancy; one seems to have some lop in him, very different ears from a wild rabbit, and very different colors, obviously. I certainly don't want any harm to come to them, and I fear they might start breeding like crazy, as rabbits do.