Appeal made for rabbits’ return

Rabbit rally - CHBC Video
Web posted on Friday, 04 July 2008

The theft of a bunch of bunnies in Vernon prompts a rally for their safe return.

By Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star - July 04, 2008

Tears rolled down Maurie Deaton’s face as she struggled to make her public plea. “We want our bunnies back.” Behind her, signs reading the same message were held up by nine others who joined Deaton at city hall Friday. The group may have been small, but their hearts were largely into the cause – a rally to bring back 51 bunnies that were stolen from the shelter at Kin Racetrack approximately two weeks ago. The rabbits were being housed by Vernon Rabbit Rescue, founded by Deaton to trap feral rabbits, accept surrendered rabbits and have them spayed and neutered and then adopted out to loving homes. “We could be like Kelowna right now if we didn’t have Maurie,” said Sarah Allen, attending the rally with her eight-month-old son Riley Park. In Kelowna, the wild rabbit population is so out of hand that the city is spending thousands of dollars to kill the bunnies. But since Deaton and a few volunteers have dedicated themselves to the cause, Vernon is not forced to deal with the same situation Kelowna businesses, parks, residents and politicians are facing. Therefore Deaton can’t help but wonder why someone would punish her for trying to do some good in the community by stealing the rabbits from their locked kennels.And neither can 10-year-old Scott Hunter.“Why would someone do that?” said Hunter. “And why that many,” chimed in 11-year-old Jurrell Langton. “And what would they do with all those bunnies,” added Cassios Langton, 10.Along with the plea to get the bunnies back, a $1,000 reward is offered for the safe return of the bunnies or for any information leading to the conviction of the thieves.

For more information, including photos of some of the missing rabbits, which have ear identification tattoos starting with VRR, visit www.vernonrabbit.blogspot.com. In the meantime, Vernon Rabbit Rescue is continuing to trap and accept surrendered bunnies. But since the current shelter at the Kin Racetrack is no longer a safe place to house the bunnies, Deaton must find an alternative. The best option, she says, is thanks to the generosity of the Warren Peace Bunny Sanctuary in Oyama. The sanctuary has offered to look after Vernon’s bunnies, but Deaton first needs to come up with a way to house them. Therefore she is looking for a donation of a mobile trailer or similar shelter that can be moved. But first and foremost, she’s asking for her bunnies back. “If you have any information about the bunnies, please call Crime Stoppers, the RCMP, myself, the media, someone, to let us know where they are.”