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Rabbitats is bursting with new arrivals after a recent rescue operation from the Dover Bay neighbourhood.
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Rabbitats and RAPS rally for rabbits
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The RAPS Animal Hospital was the location for a dramatic operation recently—well, 21 operations, actually. In partnership with Rabbitats, the Richmond-based rabbit rescue organization, the veterinary facility performed 21 spay and neuter procedures on rabbits, most of whom were recently rescued from the Dover neighbourhood of Richmond. On May 31, a veterinary team donated their time and RAPS donated the equipment and supplies to do the job.
Rabbitats works with neighbourhoods and the city to identify rabbit colonies to trap. They do not undertake any rescue until they have the resources to spay and neuter—and rehome—every single rabbit in a demarcated zone. With RAPS’ commitment to the surgeries, they were able to trap an entire colony.
The issue in this case was that every one of the females they rescued was pregnant, turning what they thought was a rescue of a few dozen rabbits into a group of about 100.
Rabbits usually take a bit of a break from reproducing during winter, but Sorelle Saidman, founder of Rabbitats, has seen an unbroken upsurge that defies seasonal traditions.
“This year I think they forgot to read the manual,” she says.
Rabbitats operates two main sanctuaries and a network of “micro-sanctuaries”—back yards, farms and stables where 10 or 20 rabbits can be rehomed as a group. In all, right now, Rabbitats has about 400 rabbits under its care.
The organization uses citizen science to track rabbit sightings and so, as improbable as it seems, they have what they believe is a fairly accurate estimate of the feral and stray rabbit population in Richmond. There are 1,000 or so in total, though that number can fluctuate to as high as 2,000.
Interestingly, people are likely to see rabbits more readily than they might wild animals because these are “urban rabbits,” Saidman says, descended from pets. They know they are safer where people are than in the wilderness.
Rabbitats has the experience and capacity to rescue large numbers of rabbits—they helped the University of Victoria deal with its extraordinary overpopulation of rabbits a few years ago—but they are limited by their ability to fund spaying and neutering.
“But with RAPS so kindly picking up the fees and the vets—Dr. Joseph Martinez and Dr. Veronica Gventsadze—generously donating their time, we were able to deal with this unanticipated influx,” Saidman says. “Now the issue is building the housing for them.”
The RAPS Animal Hospital is the only not-for-profit veterinary clinic in Richmond. It has remained open as an essential service for the community during these times and is looking to use its resources to help as many people with animals as possible. RAPS CEO Eyal Lichtmann says helping other animal agencies like Rabbitats is something RAPS has been able to do much more of since opening the RAPS Animal Hospital two years ago.
“The demand for community assistance programs has risen dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Lichtmann. “Our resources are stretched but people need our help”.
With families facing economic challenges and donations down to animal charities, individuals and rescue organizations are coming to RAPS for veterinary care.
“The community came together to help us build and open the hospital, so we feel extremely fortunate to be able to step up when we can help the community like this,” Lichtmann says. “Rabbitats is just one of the animal-serving agencies we are grateful to work with.”
Pat Johnson is communications manager for the Regional Animal Protection Society.
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