During the commission’s meeting in April, the city considered a rescue operation to secure homes for the rabbits, at a cost of about $11,400. The commission also received an estimate of about $8,500 for the cost of trapping the bunnies over 12 months, the city said. During that process, the bunnies would not be killed, but instead, relocated. But the trapping plan did not include cost estimates for relocating the rabbits, the city said.
While The Associated Press reported the trapping plan would include killing the rabbits, Wilton Manors disputes that.
Ultimately, city commissioners directed the city manager to research and develop a plan for the animals.
On May 11, the city hosted a meeting about the rabbits and decided “the best course of action” was to partner with a rescue group “that would humanely recover and rehome the rabbits,” according to the statement from the city.
“Therefore, the City is continuing to assess and research rescue organizations to partner with. Our goal is to see these rabbits placed into the hands of people with a passion to provide the necessary care and love for them,” the statement said.
In another statement, Wilton Manors Police Chief Gary Blocker reiterated the city’s commitment to treating the cuddly cottontails with gentle hands.
“The safety of this rabbit population is of utmost importance to the City, and any decision to involve ourselves will be certain to see these rabbits placed into the hands of people with a passion to provide the necessary care and love for these rabbits,” he said.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
