Feral rabbits spreading in B.C. are prompting calls for a provincial plan to manage their rapid growth and abandonment.

Feral European rabbits are spreading rapidly across Vancouver Island and parts of B.C.’s mainland, prompting the Union of B.C. Municipalities to urge the provincial government to create a coordinated strategy to tackle rabbit abandonment. Local governments and nonprofits are struggling with the animals’ fast breeding and lack of funding. Groups like Rabbitats and The Fur-Bearers advocate for non-lethal solutions, including public reporting, breeder regulations, and mandatory spay/neuter programs, citing the ineffectiveness of lethal culls. A major obstacle is the unclear classification of rabbits as wildlife, pets, or food, leading to jurisdictional confusion. Stakeholders are calling for a unified provincial approach involving multiple agencies to manage the growing crisis.