On July 3, Michelle Benade visited the Benoni Bunny Park on behalf of Ban Animal Trading South Africa (BAT), taking pictures of dead and deformed bunnies.
Martine Hampsen, also of BAT, used the pictures in an article published online, prompting a major response from the community.
In the following days, a CBD resident, Leighton Edward James Pearson, formed a Facebook group, Bunny Park Rescue, to combat the questionable conditions in which the animals are living.
The public responded strongly on social media, voicing their outrage at the conditions and offering a multitude of suggestions on how to improve the park, including charging an entrance fee, setting up self-sustainable fruit and/or vegetable gardens and privatising the park, among others.
The week’s uproar culminated in action on Saturday (July 18), when at least 150 people gathered at the park to donate food and form a plan to move forward.
Gideon Strydom, caretaker of the park, stressed the facility’s reliance on EMM for funding and staff.
“There are so many bunnies and it is a huge park; to catch the sick ones would take more manpower, which we do not have,” he said.
EMM spokesperson Themba Gadebe said the metro was working closely with the Benoni SPCA to improve the situation.
“The deformity that affects the rabbits’ mouths, noses and eyes is due to inbreeding and is not contagious,” he added.
The Benoni SPCA said they had warned EMM several times that the conditions at the park were not up to standard.
“The municipal-owned Bunny Park has made no effort (as of July 14) to correct the state, but informed us of the lack of money and workers to maintain and upgrade this establishment,” said Adele Makings, manager of Benoni SPCA.
Clr Gerrie Kriek (Ward 27) denied the allegations of underfed and sick animals at the Bunny Park.
“The animals are being fed enough, the afflictions some animals have are being discussed with the SPCA and will be sorted out,” he said.
Kriek attended the meeting arranged by Bunny Park Rescue on July 18.
Pearson said he would ask the EMM to implement an entrance fee, among other changes, in order to improve the park, and that Bunny Park Rescue would organise volunteer initiatives to help in the park two to three times a month in the future.
Gadebe told the City Times an entrance fee is unlawful, under by-laws regarding parks.
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