Concerns of breeding of animals at the Bunny Park

“After all the work we have done at the Bunny Park and all the agreements that we have reached, it is sad to note that the facility is once again falling into cruel habits.”

This is according to Tania Forrest-Smith of The Furry Friends interest group, which was instrumental in giving a voice to the animals at the park.

Following the five-and-a-half-year battle to have the animal populations strictly managed to ensure that those housed at the facility are properly looked after, Forrest-Smith was shocked to learn that 20 goat kids had been born at the facility since the end of July.

In April, following excessive rain which caused the Bokkie Park in Boksburg to become waterlogged, a decision was made by the CoE’s parks and cemeteries division, which manages both parks, to move the goats and sheep to the Bunny Park, as a precautionary measure.

According to Zweli Dlamini, spokesperson for the metro, the move was facilitated to prevent the animals from contracting hoof-rot.

In February, the City Times reported that the facility was home to eight goats. At the end of August, the number was standing at 38.

The livestock has been moved back to Bokkie Park at the beginning of September.
Bunny Park interest groups and concerned residents demand answers regarding the growing animal populations at the park, with some claiming that the headway made during the revamp has been placed on the wayside for the facility to be used as a breeding facility for hooved animals.

On July 26, the City Times reported on an incident of alleged animal abuse after a nanny goat was dragged by its ear by an employee of the park shortly after it had given birth to triplets.

At the time, Dlamini stated that a full-scale investigation was launched and it was found that the official was assisting the goat to stand following the birthing process, lifting it by its horn.

“The nanny had given birth to the triplets near the boundary fence and needed assistance to be moved to a place of safety where it could recover, feed and bond with the kids,” Dlamini said.

“No animals were abused. The city wishes to reiterate that all animals at the park are well fed and cared for.”

Forrest-Smith disagrees, saying that some of the facility’s employees are not adequately trained nor have the necessary empathy to be working so closely with animals.

“The new administration needs to familiarise themselves with the work that had been done at the park as well as the mismanagement that is happening in terms of animal care,” she said.

“We cannot have animals breeding at the facility, it is not responsible.”

Dlamini defended the metro’s stance on the controlled breeding of certain animals, such as goats, sheep and cattle. Other animals such as pigs and rabbits are not allowed to breed.

“The lambs and kids born at the Bunny Park are all animals from the Bokkie Park and have been moved back with the ewes,” he said.

“The CoE’s policy on livestock makes provision for several options to manage population control, such as exchange programmes with other facilities.”

Information contained in a message received by Forrest-Smith from a reliable source, the sale of animals bred at the metro’s various parks generates 30% of the income needed to cover the running costs of the parks.

The livestock is auctioned to commercial farmers fetching up to R10 300 each, while stud quality rams could be sold for up to R14 000.

“These animals are nothing more than breeding machines for the metro,” said Forrest-Smith.

“Nanny goats are being bred from as young as four months while older ewes’ lives are being put in danger by being allowed to birth well past maturity.

“This is not what we fought for! I want a meeting with the mayor. Our animals are being exploited and abused.”

Dlamini confirmed that the city continuously explores ways to minimise expenses without compromising service delivery and seeks ways to generate sustainable systems of income to subsidise the operating expenses of its facilities.

“The selling of excess animals is one of several sustainable ways to subsidise the operating expenses. By offering high-quality stock, the city aims to attract commercial farmers to participate in the trading of livestock,” he said.

He did not comment on the selling prices of the animals.

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