The Warren Peace Bunny Sanctuary is closed due to the threat of a deadly disease that has been killing rabbits on the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
The sanctuary has been closed for a month to protect the non-profit鈥檚 300 rabbits and the managers are taking every precaution to protect the animals, said founder Antoinette Monod.
鈥淲e were hoping to be open by Easter, but we鈥檝e been working with our vet and she says 鈥榥o way.鈥欌��
Monod would typically display the bunnies at the Village Green Mall in Vernon, but this year she didn鈥檛 want to take the risk and will visit the mall on Saturday without them.
鈥淥ver Easter especially, it just takes someone coming from the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island to walk through a park that has bunnies that were infected,鈥� she said.
A cleaning crew has been directed to wear an extra covering on their clothing to protect the bunnies.
鈥淣ow it鈥檚 on the Lower Mainland and it鈥檚 spreading out,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t can be spread on people鈥檚 shoes, on their clothing. It can be spread by birds, by other animals. We鈥檙e trying to take all the precautions we can鈥� we may be closed all of 2018,鈥� she said.
The sanctuary is normally open from Easter to Thanksgiving.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development is warning rabbit owners in B.C. to take precautions in the wake of the highly infectious virus on central Vancouver Island and parts of the Lower Mainland.
鈥淲hile there is no threat to humans, in addition to rabbit owners taking precautions, the public is advised not to move domestic rabbits into the wild at any time,鈥� said a March 21 press release from the ministry.
鈥淎s well, rabbit owners should take precautions when disposing of any rabbit remains.鈥�
In late February, the discovery of over 300 dead feral rabbits in Nanaimo prompted an investigation into the cause of the animals鈥� deaths. Cases were also confirmed in the Comox Valley.
The highly contagious and lethal virus causes hemorrhages by affecting the rabbits鈥� blood vessels and attacking the liver and other organs.
Dead rabbits found in Delta were later confirmed to have had died from the same virus.
Chilliwack鈥檚 famous therapy bunny is also taking an indefinite hiatus due to the threat.
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