CYPRESS : Park Rabbits Find Friend in Biologist

Biologist Jean Sleeper got a shock recently when she toured the rabbit reserve at Nature Park, expecting to see cute little bunnies.

What she found was a small doe with an eye infection and another rabbit, unable to move because of a dislocated leg.

Wanting to help, Sleeper volunteered to care for them, giving city officials a temporary solution to the problem of what to do with a bunch of rabbits that have won the hearts of residents.

The City Council unanimously agreed Monday night to allow Sleeper to care for the animals for the next six months. In the meantime, officials will look into ways of securing the fence around the park, so people can’t carelessly toss unwanted pets into the park. Initial estimates for a new fence are $10,500, but that cost might be shared with the county, which owns a portion of the park, officials said.

The council also authorized its staff to begin shopping for a veterinarian willing to neuter the rabbits for less than $16 each. Several local vets have come forward.

To help cover the cost of the neutering, Councilwoman Gail H. Kerry suggested asking for donations from the public.

“The number of requests for tours has increased tremendously,” Kerry said. “Maybe we could charge a nominal fee to help with the costs.”

In the meantime, Sleeper and the Kinship With All Life Foundation, a nonprofit group, will feed the rabbits and take them to veterinary hospitals for treatment and neutering.

But most important, Sleeper said, the group will educate the public on the proper way to care for rabbits.

“The whole thing is an unfortunate tragedy of human irresponsibility,” Sleeper said. “I hope it will shed some light on the pet bunny Easter situation. We do not support the purchase of animals as gifts.”

Sleeper said she has treated about 15 rabbits for various disorders including ear mites and dislocated joints. Four of them have been destroyed, including one this week who suffered from an upper respiratory infection. Sleeper found him in the park in December after a rain, unable to move or eat.

“It is not a panacea out there,” said Sleeper, who has worked with rabbits her entire life. “There is a lot of suffering.”

Last July, residents near the park on Ball Road near Denni Street complained that the rabbits, many of them abandoned Easter presents, were escaping from the park and snacking on their lawns. Officials put out a trap, which was then stolen.

Other residents successfully petitioned the council to allow the rabbits to remain.

But after months in an area about the size of a football field, the rabbits multiplied to their present population of about 80.

This prompted the council to look into ways of properly caring for the rabbits, including bunny birth control.

The latest suggestion approved this week will be closely monitored by the city staff. The council has also requested monthly updates on the condition of the rabbits.