Conditions improve at Bunny Park

The observations were made during recent inspections by local veterinarians and Benoni SPCA on July 30. Benoni SPCA trainee inspector Phil Maisela said: “There was food everywhere; it looked good. There were a few sick bunnies, which we removed, but overall the park looks much better,”Benoni Times reported.

Pictures of dead and neglected bunnies at the park emerged in July. The images were taken by an animal rights group volunteer who visited the park to assess the condition of the animals.
Samantha Berger, manager of Midrand-based Kitty and Puppy Haven, said they sent two of their own inspectors to the park after receiving a phone call from a park visitor.

“They saw a rabbit with a broken leg, and the bone was sticking out,” Berger said.

After the recent inspections, Bapsfontein Animal Hospital (BAH) veterinarian Evert Olivier found that most of the other animals were in an acceptable condition.

He said natural grazing was not, however, in a good condition and made several recommendations regarding the continued wellbeing of the park.

Pieter Engelbrecht, the leading veterinarian from BAH, wrote a report on July 28, following his inspections of the park: “We recommend removing all the rabbits from the park but, at the same time, establishing disease-free populations in the big holding pen of about 100 rabbits, where all will be sterilised.”

“A small breeding colony of about 5 to 10 does would be kept in a breeding facility to continually support the holding pen of rabbits for the future.”

– Caxton News Service