Rabbits from The Beacon Hill Children’s Farm pictured feeding in a barn on site, away from the public-Photo courtesy of Chelsey Fonger
The Beacon Hill Children’s Farm is taking preventative measures to protect their bunnies from the deadly rabbit hemorrhagic disease spreading across Vancouver Island.
Since they opened on March 2nd the petting zoo decided to not re-introduce their five rabbits to the public, as they want to wait until the disease is under control.
“We take the animals and their safety very seriously,” said farmhand Chelsey Fonger. “As soon as it is safe to be open they will be back.”
The farm’s regular vet will be coming in Wednesday and staff say one of the things they will be discussing will be administering vaccines to the bunnies.
The deadly rabbit hemorrhagic disease was first found at the beginning of March in Nanaimo — tests from dead rabbits in the Comox Valley and Delta in the Lower Mainland have also come back positive for the disease.
B.C.’s chief veterinary officer says a once restricted vaccine is being imported from France to help combat the disease.
The Greater Vancouver Zoo has also removed their rabbits from their petting area because of similar concerns.
But Fonger says staff want to assure the public that the rabbits are in good care behind the scenes.
“We feel bad for the rabbits,” said Fonger. “But staff will take good care of them… when we clean out their area we allow them to graze on some grass and we make sure to not allow interaction with any other wild rabbits.”‘
With files from the CBC
Julian Kolsut
