20 October 2008
Cape Town — There has been an overwhelming response to the SPCA's suggestion that local people "Adopt a Bunny" by paying for the cost of sterilising one of the small group of Robben Island rabbits that will be allowed to remain after a cull.
However, those involved have stressed this will be a "virtual adoption", as the rabbits will not leave the island and will remain the "property" of the Robben Island Museum.
Some people have been under the mistaken impression that they will be allowed to take these animals home.
A humane cull of most of the "guesstimate" 10 000 rabbits that are devastating the island's ecology is scheduled for early in November, but a small "heritage colony" will be retained for cultural-historical reasons.
The rabbits are believed to have been introduced by Jan van Riebeeck in 1658, probably as food for men stationed there or for passing sailors.
On Friday, just 24 hours after the Cape Argus published the adoption suggestion by SPCA chief executive Allan Perrins, he reported: "It's been a monumental start. My phone hasn't stopped ringing and my email inbox is overflowing, and it's only day one!"
Numerous callers have also phoned this newspaper to find out how they can be involved.
Perrins said he had had responses from "a wide range of folk", and had been told there were also several businesses, schools - including Camps Bay High - and other institutions that wanted to "adopt" one or more rabbits.
"And/or they simply want to be a part of this 'adoptathon' initiative which the animal rightists and animal activists appear to have embraced as a meaningful olive branch," he added.
Other schools mentioned to the Cape Argus as keen to get involved are Rustenburg Junior and SACS.
However, an apologetic Perrins conceded that he may have "put the proverbial cart before the horse" by making the suggestion before finalising arrangements with the other players involved in the rabbit issue on the island: the Robben Island Museum, CapeNature, private game reserve owner Searl Derman and animal activists Cecily Blumberg and Clifton Roux.
"I need to get everyone's approval for the SPCA to manage this initiative, which will encompass receipt of adoption applications - which must be in writing - and the screening of adoption applications, the approval of adoption applications and the temporary holding of adoption fees, which will be used to offset some of the costs for the sterilisation of the bunnies and paying for their upkeep, and so on.
"Given that the colony will be very small, we will have to consider more than one adoptee per bunny. And I would also suggest we close the adoption process on October 31."
Anyone wanting information about an "adoption" can contact Perrins's personal assistant, Claudia Shawki, at email enquiries@ spca-ct.co.za.
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