Feral Rabbits Invade Oregon Town

There is a small town in the state of Oregon that is being overrun by rabbits.

A resident named Harry Carman recently told the Associated Press that he is terrified at the prospect of spring. Last summer, over 50 rabbits invaded his property adjacent to the Culver schools campus. Carman described the problem with the rabbits.

“They ate every one of the flowers (I) put out. They ate the garden, and they ate my drip irrigation.”

Carman said he talked to officials from local governments and agencies, but none of them could offer any solutions about the rabbits. Currently, most of the rabbits are holed up for the winter, but last Thursday, four rabbits hopped around through the yards near his home.

Let’s be clear. The rabbits invading the small town of Culver, Oregon, are not wild rabbits. Instead, they are bunnies that were once domesticated and were simply released by someone.

Carman complained about the voracity of the rabbits, something he is sure will only get worse if nothing is done.

“I want to try to get rid of them so I’m not getting all this damage done. It was about $150 in damage last year.”

The problem of being located in the city means that no one can legally fire a gun at them. They could be trapped, but then they can’t be released anywhere because they are not wild. They could be poisoned, but being in a neighborhood, that would put other animals and pets at risk. The local sheriff, Jim Adkins, said there’s really no help his department can offer to help Carmen.

“There is nothing we can do. We have dog control. We don’t have animal control.”

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife could issue a free trapping permit for someone dealing with feral rabbits like those in Culver, said Rick Boatner, invasive species coordinator for the department in Salem. In a way, he said, the bunnies, which might breed with wild rabbits, could be considered invasive.

“As long as they are taken care of quickly they are not a problem. If they are allowed to reproduce, they can quickly populate an area.”

Carmen not only worries about the vegetables and flowers that the rabbits eat, but also the holes they dig. He reportedly tripped on a rabbit hole and fell Sunday while taking out the trash and he’s worried that the rabbit droppings accumulating in his yard could pose a health risk.

“It’s just to the point that it is beyond ridiculous.”

Culver, Oregon isn’t the only city worrying about rabbits. Only a week ago, the Inquisitr reported about meat eating wild rabbits in New York City.

[Image via Havahart]