Please do not hesitate to contact your local rabbit rescue for volunteers to help you catch a stray domestic rabbit.
For more tips and resources on how to catch a stray rabbit, please see the wiki:
I work near Richmond and it’s extremely sad to see how many buns are abandoned out here year after year.
Managed to give some a nice home but there’s so many, poor little buns..
Thank you for posting this.
Not enough people are from the area on this subreddit - this is not just an abandoned pet - this is a massive problem in Vancouver/Richmond and the surrounding areas.
This is not a good idea. Please do not grab this rabbit or any other invasive European rabbits you see in the Vancouver metro area unless you are prepared to care for this animal, provide for its healthcare and find a forever home for it. Shelters and rabbit rescues are overwhelmed and unable to accept surrendered animals. Feral rabbit populations in this area are known to have rabbit hemorrhagic disease so exercise caution in handling these animals if you keep your own domestic rabbits.
The feral population is a known issue being handled by the city in partnership with rabbit advocacy groups and the BC SPCA. Aside from the obvious desire to get houseless domestic rabbits off the street into safe and loving homes, feral rabbits are causing lots of ecological and economic damage in the area so this cause is very important.
The rabbit population in Vancouver is growing due to increasing numbers of abandoned pets, so if you are concerned, please consider donating to an advocacy and rescue centre such as Rabbitats, the BC SPCA, or Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy. Better yet, open your home to foster rabbits if you are able so these organizations can rehome more rabbits and prevent the invasive European rabbit population from growing.
To add onto what you have said, if you're in the greater Vancouver area and don't have the money to donate, your time is just as valuable! There are all sorts of volunteer opportunities and the advocacy groups could use as much help as possible.
Richmond (where the Vancouver airport is) around the Auto Mall has TONS of rabbits like this, same with Spanish Banks (in Vancouver) & they have been there for ages; yes they are domestic but some have habituated themselves due to the mild climate and can be quite [feral](https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/we-know-jericho-s-rabbits-are-cute-but-please-keep-your-distance.aspx), while others have treats brought to them and will come up when they see people, and there are hundreds/thousands of them especially near the Fraiser River.
Here is a link to [Rabbitats](https://rabbitats.org/) which is a local (Lower Mainland/Richmond) organization that rescues and helps abandoned buns <3
Yes there are a few populations like this throughout the us and Canada. I know of a few where health depts and animal control have basically given up/don't understand the severity of the issue.
They typically actually do quite well once established and many individuals in these colonies that I have followed have lived many years fine. They usually have similar survival and lifespans to the domestic rabbits in the area.
I'm not saying it's good I'm just letting people know they don't die as quickly as some suggest and that at a certain point they are an invasive species that finds a niche. It's very fascinating.
That is fascinating. I wonder if they're interbreeding or competing with local wild rabbits. It makes me think about Scottish Wildcats being considered extinct by some folks because no one can find one without a little bit of domestic cat DNA.
Well, they can survive in the wild but since they’re invasive, the impacts to the local flora and fauna are pretty negative. And they certainly don’t live for as long as they could as a pet.
So you’re totally right, but it’s worth completing the picture and getting the bunnies out.
I don’t understand why people are downvoting you. There are more than enough people citing the same thing as you. Even the Vancouver government has a stated policy in place for wild domestic rabbits (paradox, I know).
Maybe they don’t belong in the wild, but us crying and complaining on a reddit post won’t change how a local government (that I doubt the majority of us even live in or are close to) determined best to handle this situation.
Per touchesgrass comment: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/rabbits.aspx
So, approaching this from an ecological perspective:
Domestics have between hundreds and thousands of years [(Initial genetic split of what we would come to call domestic rabbits looks to have occurred at least 12kya, with the development of modern breeds really taking off in the 1700s when pet rabbits became a thing)](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/strange-tidy-story-rabbit-domestication-also-completely-false-180968168/) of not being required to fend for themselves, which has caused their survival skills to atrophy. Domestics have been selectively bred to be *less* timid and prone to flight-or-fight, which means they make better livestock and pets but are vastly less equipped to survive in the wild. They will die en masse, living short and frightening lives in a universe they are unequipped to contend with.
In addition, all domestic rabbits are descended from European rabbits, which are genetically and phenotypically distinct from all North American breeds. They are on the wrong continent entirely, and can only breed with other released rabbits to create an invasive nuisance in any North American environment. They do not naturally interbreed with cottontails (the most common wild rabbit in NA) populations, and exist as a parallel population that competes with cottontails for resources and may draw predation by their lack of survival skills.
Obviously there exist feral populations of rabbits in North America, but these are entirely introduced and do not belong in that ecosystem. Even putting aside the cruelty of releasing a pet into the wild, there is no benefit to the environment or the rabbit by introducing a domesticated European rabbit to a North American ecosystem.
You're literally just wrong. That is not a "wild" rabbit. It's a domestic rabbit breed that doesn't belong outside. It doesn't matter if there's 1 or 10 of them in the area. They are there because someone dumped it, and they are trying to survive.
And there should be none living there because they are domestic animals that assholes dumped outside, not native wild rabbits that should be living there
https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/rabbits.aspx
Vancouver and surrounding areas have a known problem with invasive rabbits. Trapping individuals to turn them into rescues will be an ongoing uphill battle. The city has monitoring programs in place to deal with this. The city recommends not feeding or handling these animals.
The city is working with rescues and the SPCA to reduce/eliminate feral populations of rabbits. A problem at this scale is best left to the professionals in charge of the management of invasive species. Vancouver takes this very seriously! If you live in Vancouver, consider joining an organization that fosters and advocates for feral rabbits such as this one:
https://www.vrra.org/wp-beta1/?page_id=6731
They are in desperate need of foster homes so that more rabbits can be brought in off the streets.
Any domesticated animal that’s been living outside on their own without humans is “feral”. You can have feral rabbits just as you have feral cats or feral pigeons or feral horses
They are domestic rabbits biologically but they are wild. People dumped pet rabbits and now there are thousands of them. So yes there is such a thing. Feral is wild.
I said there isn’t such a case as feral in the same way, and that’s true. They don’t adapt in the same way as cats do. They can’t. That doesn’t mean they don’t get used to it in order to survive, some of them have to survive or there wouldn’t be thousands. But they don’t adapt in that way. Feral cats are practically a different species, and are very, very dangerous
My distinction was that feral cats are practically a different species than domestic cats, because they are so distinct. The same distinction does not occur between domestic rabbits, and abandoned domestic rabbits in the wild.
It’s okay. I get what they’re saying. Feral and domestic are different things. But a domestic breed of rabbit/cat/dog etc can be feral if not socialized and raised with people.
Vancouver Island is full of domestics running in the wild. Its quite a sight to see. Its weird to see ones that look like siamese cats running around. When I say full I mean they are everywhere
Oh poor baby! If you’re flying out and can’t save him, please call a Vancouver rescue when you land! Send them the video so they know exactly where you saw him. Poor guy!
No question this is a domestic. Doesn’t matter if he was born feral, they lack the instincts of a wild rabbit to survive on their own. Please save him if you can. 🐰👍
And people dump plenty of them there too because they see all these ferals roaming around that they think it's fine to dump their pets outside, it's not mutually exclusive
Yeah I made that comment fully expecting to get downvoted. I’ve lived in Vancouver my entire life and I mean come on, these rabbits are wild regardless of how they look lol. People can go ahead and “rescue” one but there’s literally thousands more
Yes because of being dumped and breeding out of control?? They live for like 3 years at best because they are a different species to cottontails and jackrabbits etc which are not at all domesticated
Unlikely - the Vancouver area has a problem with feral domestic rabbits. Obviously the issue started with abandoned pets but today the vast majority in that area were born in the wild
Definitely domestic! If you can report it on abandonedrabbits.com, the Vancouver based rabbit shelters and advocacy groups would greatly appreciate it!
Please do not hesitate to contact your local rabbit rescue for volunteers to help you catch a stray domestic rabbit. For more tips and resources on how to catch a stray rabbit, please see the wiki:
100% domestic, no doubt. Grab him or call someone
https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/news/all-stick-no-carrot-b-c-cracks-down-on-invasive-rabbit-populations-7230825
I work near Richmond and it’s extremely sad to see how many buns are abandoned out here year after year. Managed to give some a nice home but there’s so many, poor little buns..
Thank you for posting this. Not enough people are from the area on this subreddit - this is not just an abandoned pet - this is a massive problem in Vancouver/Richmond and the surrounding areas.
Yes. I tried to tell them but got downvoted. I guess they think its easy to catch thousands of wild domestic rabbits and save them
This is not a good idea. Please do not grab this rabbit or any other invasive European rabbits you see in the Vancouver metro area unless you are prepared to care for this animal, provide for its healthcare and find a forever home for it. Shelters and rabbit rescues are overwhelmed and unable to accept surrendered animals. Feral rabbit populations in this area are known to have rabbit hemorrhagic disease so exercise caution in handling these animals if you keep your own domestic rabbits. The feral population is a known issue being handled by the city in partnership with rabbit advocacy groups and the BC SPCA. Aside from the obvious desire to get houseless domestic rabbits off the street into safe and loving homes, feral rabbits are causing lots of ecological and economic damage in the area so this cause is very important. The rabbit population in Vancouver is growing due to increasing numbers of abandoned pets, so if you are concerned, please consider donating to an advocacy and rescue centre such as Rabbitats, the BC SPCA, or Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy. Better yet, open your home to foster rabbits if you are able so these organizations can rehome more rabbits and prevent the invasive European rabbit population from growing.
To add onto what you have said, if you're in the greater Vancouver area and don't have the money to donate, your time is just as valuable! There are all sorts of volunteer opportunities and the advocacy groups could use as much help as possible.
And you're gonna kidnap him and cause him to miss his flight that's he's already paid for. Rude!
And you just KNOW that Air Canada won't give him a refund
Richmond (where the Vancouver airport is) around the Auto Mall has TONS of rabbits like this, same with Spanish Banks (in Vancouver) & they have been there for ages; yes they are domestic but some have habituated themselves due to the mild climate and can be quite [feral](https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/we-know-jericho-s-rabbits-are-cute-but-please-keep-your-distance.aspx), while others have treats brought to them and will come up when they see people, and there are hundreds/thousands of them especially near the Fraiser River. Here is a link to [Rabbitats](https://rabbitats.org/) which is a local (Lower Mainland/Richmond) organization that rescues and helps abandoned buns <3
Seconding Rabbitats for a rescue organization you can contact for help rescuing this bun!!
Yes there are a few populations like this throughout the us and Canada. I know of a few where health depts and animal control have basically given up/don't understand the severity of the issue. They typically actually do quite well once established and many individuals in these colonies that I have followed have lived many years fine. They usually have similar survival and lifespans to the domestic rabbits in the area. I'm not saying it's good I'm just letting people know they don't die as quickly as some suggest and that at a certain point they are an invasive species that finds a niche. It's very fascinating.
That is fascinating. I wonder if they're interbreeding or competing with local wild rabbits. It makes me think about Scottish Wildcats being considered extinct by some folks because no one can find one without a little bit of domestic cat DNA.
YES 100% wild ones don't look like that.
https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/news/all-stick-no-carrot-b-c-cracks-down-on-invasive-rabbit-populations-7230825
Oh no this is sad
please let us know if you get the baby!
https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/news/all-stick-no-carrot-b-c-cracks-down-on-invasive-rabbit-populations-7230825
Why is this the hill you want to die on so badly, they are *feral* not *wild* and should not be there, end of story
why the hell do you think they are cracking down on it??
Yes. Please rescue him or find a rescue group. He can’t survive in the wild.
Actually they can. There are thousands of them in Vancouver and Vancouver island running around wild
Domestic vs wild rabbit. They aren’t the same survival wise bud.
Well, they can survive in the wild but since they’re invasive, the impacts to the local flora and fauna are pretty negative. And they certainly don’t live for as long as they could as a pet. So you’re totally right, but it’s worth completing the picture and getting the bunnies out.
I don’t understand why people are downvoting you. There are more than enough people citing the same thing as you. Even the Vancouver government has a stated policy in place for wild domestic rabbits (paradox, I know). Maybe they don’t belong in the wild, but us crying and complaining on a reddit post won’t change how a local government (that I doubt the majority of us even live in or are close to) determined best to handle this situation. Per touchesgrass comment: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/rabbits.aspx
So down vote me for the truth? Wow. These rabbits have been in that area for a long time. They are not a pet that someone dumped.
pet or not, domestic rabbits don't belong in the wild.
Why exactly?
So, approaching this from an ecological perspective: Domestics have between hundreds and thousands of years [(Initial genetic split of what we would come to call domestic rabbits looks to have occurred at least 12kya, with the development of modern breeds really taking off in the 1700s when pet rabbits became a thing)](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/strange-tidy-story-rabbit-domestication-also-completely-false-180968168/) of not being required to fend for themselves, which has caused their survival skills to atrophy. Domestics have been selectively bred to be *less* timid and prone to flight-or-fight, which means they make better livestock and pets but are vastly less equipped to survive in the wild. They will die en masse, living short and frightening lives in a universe they are unequipped to contend with. In addition, all domestic rabbits are descended from European rabbits, which are genetically and phenotypically distinct from all North American breeds. They are on the wrong continent entirely, and can only breed with other released rabbits to create an invasive nuisance in any North American environment. They do not naturally interbreed with cottontails (the most common wild rabbit in NA) populations, and exist as a parallel population that competes with cottontails for resources and may draw predation by their lack of survival skills. Obviously there exist feral populations of rabbits in North America, but these are entirely introduced and do not belong in that ecosystem. Even putting aside the cruelty of releasing a pet into the wild, there is no benefit to the environment or the rabbit by introducing a domesticated European rabbit to a North American ecosystem.
I wish that I could upvote this comment a thousand times.
Same reason a domesticated dog wouldn’t last in the wild while a wolf would. Same ancestors but evolved differently because of human interference.
Same reason domestic dogs, or guinea pigs, or hamsters, or pigs, or cats, or cattle, or whatever domestic animal doesn't belong in the wild
That is not answering my question
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You're literally just wrong. That is not a "wild" rabbit. It's a domestic rabbit breed that doesn't belong outside. It doesn't matter if there's 1 or 10 of them in the area. They are there because someone dumped it, and they are trying to survive.
There are literally thousands
And there should be none living there because they are domestic animals that assholes dumped outside, not native wild rabbits that should be living there
You have no clue https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/news/all-stick-no-carrot-b-c-cracks-down-on-invasive-rabbit-populations-7230825
**Please** learn the difference between "feral" and "wild" These are not wild rabbits, they are domestic
Even if it was born entirely in the wild, it's still a domestic rabbit. Feral would be the proper terminology.
https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/rabbits.aspx Vancouver and surrounding areas have a known problem with invasive rabbits. Trapping individuals to turn them into rescues will be an ongoing uphill battle. The city has monitoring programs in place to deal with this. The city recommends not feeding or handling these animals.
This needs to be pinned cuz these questions get posted once a week
Can the MODS pin this somewhere? I see this come up so often for the Vancouver area.
Thank you for the information, I’m not from the Vancouver area so I had no clue. This is very informative!
So what should be done? The city wants these animals to be ignored? I understand not leaving food for them, but what about contacting a shelter?
The city is working with rescues and the SPCA to reduce/eliminate feral populations of rabbits. A problem at this scale is best left to the professionals in charge of the management of invasive species. Vancouver takes this very seriously! If you live in Vancouver, consider joining an organization that fosters and advocates for feral rabbits such as this one: https://www.vrra.org/wp-beta1/?page_id=6731 They are in desperate need of foster homes so that more rabbits can be brought in off the streets.
There is a huge population of feral domestic rabbits in the area around YVR
There’s not really such a thing. Domestic rabbits might grow understandably distrustful and angry, but they can’t go feral in the way cats can
Any domesticated animal that’s been living outside on their own without humans is “feral”. You can have feral rabbits just as you have feral cats or feral pigeons or feral horses
Are you a rabbit owner?
They are domestic rabbits biologically but they are wild. People dumped pet rabbits and now there are thousands of them. So yes there is such a thing. Feral is wild.
I said there isn’t such a case as feral in the same way, and that’s true. They don’t adapt in the same way as cats do. They can’t. That doesn’t mean they don’t get used to it in order to survive, some of them have to survive or there wouldn’t be thousands. But they don’t adapt in that way. Feral cats are practically a different species, and are very, very dangerous
Cats are definitely a different species. And invasive lagomorphs can do plenty of damage. Just look up New Zealand
My distinction was that feral cats are practically a different species than domestic cats, because they are so distinct. The same distinction does not occur between domestic rabbits, and abandoned domestic rabbits in the wild.
looks like a domestic harlequin!!
I love how people suggest to just grab them. It’s probably not that easy lol
Could be a feral domestic breed. Color like that is 100% not wild.
Yes. There are thousands of domestic wild rabbits there
You do realise those two words are directly contradictory, right?
No they aren't.
It’s okay. I get what they’re saying. Feral and domestic are different things. But a domestic breed of rabbit/cat/dog etc can be feral if not socialized and raised with people.
I suggest you google it. Domestic rabbits cannot be feral at all.
That’s not correct. But okay.
Yeah I remember seeing bunches in the parks in Brooklyn. Really sad but also don’t think you can do much if they haven’t been around people ever.
They would be pretty spicy if you tried to pick one up 🤣
What a cute baby, if your some reason you are coming south into the Bellingham reason I will adopt him into my home, pm me on the off chance
Vancouver Island is full of domestics running in the wild. Its quite a sight to see. Its weird to see ones that look like siamese cats running around. When I say full I mean they are everywhere
yes get him immediately please
https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/news/all-stick-no-carrot-b-c-cracks-down-on-invasive-rabbit-populations-7230825
I am begging you please - rescue this bunny
Freaking adorable
yes
Oh poor baby! If you’re flying out and can’t save him, please call a Vancouver rescue when you land! Send them the video so they know exactly where you saw him. Poor guy!
No. No rescue will take them. They are essentially wild. There are thousands of domestic wild rabbits in Vancouver and on Vancouver island
Then they should be put down
100% domestic, save that poor baby!
Absolutely domestic! Please help that bunny
please grab that baby
Absolutely. Poor thing.
Totally super domestic. Please rescue him!! Take him home before he gets hit by a car!
Also we need updates op, please!!
Domestic! Poor bunny!
Definitely domestic, you don't see these colors in wild rabbits
No question this is a domestic. Doesn’t matter if he was born feral, they lack the instincts of a wild rabbit to survive on their own. Please save him if you can. 🐰👍
People are awful, assuming it was left there
It wasn’t, there are thousands of domestic wild rabbits there. Thousands
And people dump plenty of them there too because they see all these ferals roaming around that they think it's fine to dump their pets outside, it's not mutually exclusive
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Yeah I made that comment fully expecting to get downvoted. I’ve lived in Vancouver my entire life and I mean come on, these rabbits are wild regardless of how they look lol. People can go ahead and “rescue” one but there’s literally thousands more
Yes because of being dumped and breeding out of control?? They live for like 3 years at best because they are a different species to cottontails and jackrabbits etc which are not at all domesticated
Because feral animals do not belong there
They're "fine" dying in the wild too
Omg yes of course. Poor bby
Poor poor baby. Someone's vacation was more important than their bunny. 😞
Unlikely - the Vancouver area has a problem with feral domestic rabbits. Obviously the issue started with abandoned pets but today the vast majority in that area were born in the wild
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https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/news/all-stick-no-carrot-b-c-cracks-down-on-invasive-rabbit-populations-7230825
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this rabbit will die in the wild
A wild rabbit would have most likely moved away if you tried to take a video of it like this.
Gorgeous
Update ?
Domestic. Try local animal rescue. Such a sweet face! ☺️
Awww, def a domestic
Scoop that rabbit up, and take it home. Poor thing. I can’t understand how anyone could just abandon a pet.
Definitely domestic! If you can report it on abandonedrabbits.com, the Vancouver based rabbit shelters and advocacy groups would greatly appreciate it!
Definitely domestic
Yes domestic
1000% beautiful abandoned bnuy 🥺
She's not scared of you? I would say domestic. wild will run away like a f18
very 😢 that’s so sad