Wanatchee plans rabbit roundup

WENATCHEE – The Wenatchee Valley Humane Society and Chelan County Public Utility District plan to round up more than 300 rabbits on the grounds of the Rocky Reach Dam and send them packing.

The rabbits – domestic bunnies let loose in the wild – have been living and breeding on the grassy knolls above the dam for more than 20 years.

Officials plan to move them to Rabbit Meadow – an animal sanctuary in the Seattle suburb of Redmond where officials say they won’t be threatened so much by disease, predators, automobiles on roads and freezing temperatures.

Each of the rabbits must be examined and spayed or neutered before it will be accepted at the sanctuary. The PUD expects to pay more than $17,500 in veterinary bills.