Photos by LBCC journalism student Grace Orozco
2:00pm | If you’ve stepped foot on the East campus of Long Beach City College in recent years, you know about the massive wild rabbit population that calls the school grounds home. The bunnies have been a quirky and endearing part of the background, though they may bother a few carrot-carrying students from time to time.
But beginning today, the college announced a concerted effort to curb the wild rabbit population with a program to spay and neuter the population while increasing awareness about the dangers of abandoning a pet on the campus.
“The abundance of rabbits and their rapid reproduction rate has wreaked havoc on the grounds at LAC,” said Mark Thissell, LBCC Facilities Director. “The rabbits dig holes throughout the campus, which create trip and fall hazards for students and staff and destroy thousands of dollars of landscaping.”
Veterinarians from the Western University of Health Sciences are on hand to spay and neuter LBCC rabbits that are collected by volunteers. Part of the problem is that domesticated rabbits that are abandoned are not suited to fend for themselves – eventually being run off or injured by the native, now-wild population. Those that are available for adoption will be available to the public in about six weeks.
“These rabbits are not wild rabbits – they are pet rabbits who have been abandoned,” said Dr. Diane McClure, Associate Professor of Veterinary Medicine from the Western University of Health Sciences. “These bunnies are so happy and relaxed to be in a sheltered environment with adequate food and water. They deserve to have a forever home.”
Anyone who abandons an animal on campus will now be subjected to a $500 fine.
