A Sudbury, Ont. group is snatching bunnies that have been dumped

Enara Iturregui stands with a fish net and scans the disc golf course in Cambrian Heights in Sudbury, Ont., looking for a bunny.

It's not just any bunny, as Iturregui said, it's domestic and isn't supposed to be there.

"The process for catching them is a little silly because we run around with fishing nets and we try to catch them," she explained.

"They're on high alert. They're not usually approaching people anymore. They are in survival mode. We set up a few traps but they're unfortunately unlikely to walk into a live trap. So we go around with fishing nets."

Iturregui started the group called The Sudbury Bunny Snatchers after getting a report that someone had dumped a domestic rabbit at a storage facility. When she showed up to help, it was discovered that there were at least 11 rabbits that had been left there.

"We've rescued five as a group and one of them just had 11 babies," she said.

"Two of them have been adopted into forever homes. The remaining three are with fosters including the 11 kits. There's been two that were rescued from another site. It's not just one place we've discovered in this rescuing journey. There's probably around four or five dumping sites."

Iturregui said she believes unethical breeders, or people who got a rabbit as a pet, are dumping the bunnies and no longer want them.

Seeing a rabbit in the city isn't unusual, but these bunnies are different than the snowshoe hares that live in the city.

"[Snowshoe hares] are very on edge, so they're always ready to run. They're scared of predators," Iturregui said.

"[Domestic rabbits] don't change colours, they're slower and they're usually fatter. We've actually seen domestic rabbits eating and chilling and then a fox walks up to them within five feet. They don't have the knowledge to know that it is a predator."

Iturregui said the group has contacted a number of shelters and rescue groups for help, but said none of them are able to assist.

"Unfortunately, the shelter in Sudbury only does dogs and cats," she said.

"We were told by one rescue that they stopped taking in rabbits because nobody wants them. So we've tried asking around but it's been tough getting help."