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*Urgent Help Needed in DORSET*- RWAF First Alert

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper
If any members in Dorset are able to offer either their time or a safe haven, they may be able to help a warren of wild rabbits who have lived for sometime on a roundabout that the Highways Agency is about to remove in favour of a dual carriageway. They are quoted as saying, 'rabbits are not a protected species and are normally classed as a pest in agricultural and woodland situations' and, while they are prepared to relocate protected reptiles from the site, their only plan for the rabbits is to use ferrets to catch the rabbits, which they will then kill.

If you have any land you'd be happy for the rabbits to be released onto, or are able to offer help in rounding them up, please contact Lynette here lynnette.payne@tesco.net She has local schoolchildren onside, writing petitions and doing what they can. We could do with practical help from adults as well.


The full story is reported in the local newspaper here

http://www.thisisdorset.co.uk/news/Threat-Canford-bunnies/article-2878147-detail/article.html
 
Have this posted in Rabbit Welfare as well :)

I've emailed Lynette the link to RU so that she can give more info if appropriate.

This roundabout is just up the road from me. The bunnies have lived there happily for years. I saw the markings on the road the other day and just thought they were going to put some traffic lights in. Can't believe they're going to extend the dual carriageway!

Bunnies live in the field next door, and all the surrounding areas have warrens already.

I've suggested they contact the local country parks to see if they can take them (they do have warrens already, but there are 2 which are huge areas with suitable land).

Those bunnies even survived an articulated lorry driving over the roundabout a couple of years ago. Lets hope they can be relocated safely.
 
I couldn't open the news link/find it. Can some one please specify the area exactly this roundabout is - Dorset is a large county!
 
I couldn't open the news link/find it. Can some one please specify the area exactly this roundabout is - Dorset is a large county!

The link worked for me. It stated A31, Canford Bottom roundabout.

A Google search indicates the A31/B3073 roundabout/crossing.

Hope this helps.
 
:( How horrible, he got it right saying 'rabbits aren't a protected species' but, then is any wildlife in this country - god forbid we should respect all living things and minimise distress and suffering in the name of progress - that would make us civilised and humane and we can't have that now can we ...grrrrrrr:censored:
 
Just thinking about this, unless the construction of the Roandabout can be stopped and thus the Warren left undisturbed is it really 'kinder' to round up and relocate a group of Wildies, or would it be more humane to PTS ?

Please dont think I want them to be PTS, of course I dont. But Wildies are just that, 'Wild'. Will the stress of handling, capture and FORCED relocation be too much for them?

I honestly dont know the answer which is why I am asking the question. Please dont all jump on me.
 
Being killed by a ferret isn't really being PTS is it. It's going to be terrifying as they are hunted one by one.

I think it is kinder to relocate them, at least giving them a chance of life. It may be stressful but they will recover.
 
As a newbie to rabbit behaviour and territorialism, i dont know the answer to this...

...but if the wildies are relocated (to somewhere, fairly close?) would they try and come back to 'their territory' at all?
 
Jane, I've been thinking along the same lines. I just don't know how a group of wildies could be caught and relocated, never mind about doing it in an unstressful way :?
 
Being killed by a ferret isn't really being PTS is it. It's going to be terrifying as they are hunted one by one.

I think it is kinder to relocate them, at least giving them a chance of life. It may be stressful but they will recover.

The news article says that they will be rounded up by ferrets trained not to kill them, and then humanely PTS:? Think the stress would probably kill them first....

The newts/lizards on the roundabout are a protected species and will be handled carefully and relocated......
 
As a newbie to rabbit behaviour and territorialism, i dont know the answer to this...

...but if the wildies are relocated (to somewhere, fairly close?) would they try and come back to 'their territory' at all?

I suggested to the contact person to try a couple of country parks which are local enough to travel to, but not close enough for buns to make their way back 'home'.
 
Just thinking about this, unless the construction of the Roandabout can be stopped and thus the Warren left undisturbed is it really 'kinder' to round up and relocate a group of Wildies, or would it be more humane to PTS ?

Please dont think I want them to be PTS, of course I dont. But Wildies are just that, 'Wild'. Will the stress of handling, capture and FORCED relocation be too much for them?

I honestly dont know the answer which is why I am asking the question. Please dont all jump on me.

I have to admit that I have been thinking the same - what I don't like is how they're going to round them up to PTS :cry:
 
I have to admit that I have been thinking the same - what I don't like is how they're going to round them up to PTS :cry:

I dont like it either. But the alternative is gassing I suppose as I doubt The Police would allow someone onto the Roundabout with a shotgun.

Why they cant just leave the flippin' road as it is I dont know.
 
Just thinking about this, unless the construction of the Roandabout can be stopped and thus the Warren left undisturbed is it really 'kinder' to round up and relocate a group of Wildies, or would it be more humane to PTS ?

Please dont think I want them to be PTS, of course I dont. But Wildies are just that, 'Wild'. Will the stress of handling, capture and FORCED relocation be too much for them?

I honestly dont know the answer which is why I am asking the question. Please dont all jump on me.

Tough debate. I have my own wildie who was wild for many months before coming to me (they thought he was a domestic because he's black but its pretty clear to me he is a wildie; especially as he was accepted in his warren, etc).

When he first arrived at the Centre (before coming to me), he used to run in a blind panic and was a danger to himself, but in a small confined space at mine, he was much safer and less stressed (he had a 4ft by 1ft hutch to start with). So potentially a carrier might be ok?

I have never known anyone like Roger with their will to survive though. He is emotionally harder than any other rabbit I've EVER met. His wildie instincts make him live, and I suspect that may be the case for other wildies.

Its very tough to know what's best for them. But definitely understand your line of thinking.
 
Allowing a ferret to go after rabbits would be unbelievably cruel! I really hope something else can be done. I hate humans always needing more roads, more houses, more of the animals habitat :( So greedy and inconsiderate.
 
Could they be released with other wild rabbits? Perhaps in a big enclosure round some trees where they could start to build another warren before the enclosure was removed. Or would they use another warren if it had been previously used by other rabbits?

The reason I'm asking is my university has lots of land already populated by rabbits. There is a team who studies them in their natural environment so I'm sure they would know if warrens were empty or what land was not populated where they could live. I have no idea if the university would agree to this as I'd have to ask... however... this is very far away and would be very stressful. Would it be worth it?
 
Being killed by a ferret isn't really being PTS is it. It's going to be terrifying as they are hunted one by one.

I think it is kinder to relocate them, at least giving them a chance of life. It may be stressful but they will recover.

Me too - they are taking the cheapest, quickest route here that's all, it has nothing at all to do with consideration for the animals - I actually think it's disgusting cruelty to set ferrets on rabbits in their warren - I'm appaulled that this could even be considered acceptable, the thought of people standing around watching this happen is no different to badger baiting - cruel and unnecessary.
 
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