A growing rabbit and rock dassie colony are facing a crisis after a housing complex is threatening to cut off their human support and interaction.
Due to the growing size of the rabbit colony, and the worry about the upkeep of the complex’s garden, residents were informed by the complex’s management that fencing is being erected to push out the animals to the mountain area at the back of the complex.
The colony of about 100 rabbits, as well as many dassies, live both inside the complex and a park next door.
Founder of the Strawberry Foundation, Jenny Janse van Rensburg, said that residents contacted the animal care organisation to assist them in sterilising, taking care of and rehoming the animals.
Janse van Rensburg said, “We are not sure where these bunnies originally came from. The domesticated rabbit does not naturally exist in the wild, therefore, all colonies started out by bunnies being dumped or escaping from their homes.
“They do breed like rabbits, and now we have a colony of about 100.”
The residents have been caring for these rabbits for a number of years, feeding them every day and taking care of their babies. They also assist with medical care if need be.
“Even though the bunnies don’t actually live in their residences, they live outside in the complex, they do have names and are loved,” Janse van Rensburg added.
According to her, a representative of the centre’s management company said, “The trustees have agreed to put a wire mesh fence on the mountain side of the complex, where there is currently palisade fencing. This is to keep bunnies and dassies out as they are ruining the garden.”
After a local veterinary clinic established that the rabbits are not wild rabbits and need human support to survive, centre management has given the residents two weeks to capture as many rabbits as they can in order to sterilise them and possibly house them elsewhere.
According to Janse van Rensburg, “This is a big task in terms of effort and finances.”
The Strawberry Foundation is requesting the following assistance from the community:
- Support in stopping the complex from dumping the rabbits in the fields, as it is illegal to dump domesticated animals to fend for themselves
- Assist in catching at least a portion of the bunnies
- Provide financial support to get all of the bunnies spayed to prevent further breeding and health issues
- Give foster or permanent homes for shy, skittish adults or babies that are used to humans.
Details: The Strawberry Foundation strawberry1@jennynell-ot.co.za; 073 243 8161.
