The mayor of a Greater Victoria suburb has issued a public plea asking people to stop feeding feral rabbits along a busy highway.
View Royal Mayor David Screech said the potential danger centers on a stretch of median in between lanes of high-speed traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway.
That’s where bunnies have moved in and taken over – and there carrots and water dishes seen in the area suggest people might be treating them like community pets.
“The other night I saw two families with four children, with picnic blankets down. The children were running all over this area, which is right beside a highway and a highway off-ramp,” he said. “I think it’s a terrible accident just waiting to happen.”
It's an ongoing problem despite signs in the area warning people not to pull over, and that littering can carry a $2,000 fine.
Mounties have also expressed concern over people stopping in the area, even though their intentions may be good.
“As you can see, this place has no barriers,” said West Shore RCMP spokesman Const. Alex Berube. “If there’s a vehicle that has an emergency or a defect, or has to go off-road for some reason, there’s no barriers that will protect the families from having a picnic right here.”
CTV News spoke with two parents in the area who said they understood the concerns, but felt that as long as children are supervised, visiting the bunnies can be a positive experience.
The problem falls under the purview of provincial government because it’s taking place on a highway.
B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said it believes rabbits need to be removed in order to maintain highway safety.
Staff said they’re working on a plan to do that, but have not confirmed when it will happen.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island’s Yvonne Raymond
