Better run rabbit run: push to desex all pet bunnies

A Pittwater councillor is campaigning for all pet rabbits to be desexed prior to sale. Picture: ISABELLA LETTINI

A NEW front has been opened on the war against rabbits.

Pittwater councillor Jacqui Townsend is lobbying to have every pet rabbit desexed before it is sold.

The move comes after accumulating annual costs to curb growing rabbit populations, which destroy hours of work by bush regeneration volunteers.

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Cr Townsend will present a motion to Pittwater Council on Monday for the council to write to the State Government to seek the new regulations.

The motion will also ask for support from the body representing all NSW councils, the NSW Local Government Association, to help lobby the State Government for new regulations.

Frustrated bush regenerators, such as Cr Townsend, are behind the move, with hours spent on bush regeneration reduced to nil when rabbits eat their new plantings overnight.

“We spend hundreds of hours planting and watering, to return our bushland to a pristine condition, and the rabbits just go and eat all the plant tubestock,” Cr Townsend said.

“There need to be controls put in place, so hopefully Pittwater can lead the way in NSW, like we have on other issues, and push this on the agenda at the Local Government Association conference (in October).”

She said further discussions were needed to determine whether pet shops or the State Government should pay to desex the rabbits.

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