WA rabbits targeted with darts, $5K reward offered

Rabbits are being found in Vancouver, Washington with blow darts in them. Local officials say the area is near a school and fear for the safety of children in the area.

Since November, Clark County Animal Protection and Control has responded to 10 reports of injured rabbits in the vicinity of Fourth Plain Blvd. South to Burton Road and Andresen Road east to Northeast 98th Avenue in Vancouver. 

This is described as a densely populated area where school children are passing lawns where more blow darts are being found. 

There is now a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of whoever is firing the darts.

In addition to rabbits, local officials report finding a migratory woodpecker with a blow dart embedded in the abdomen seen at a feeder in the area. 

What they're saying:

"Discharging blow darts in a residential area puts everyone in the community, including children, at risk in addition to the prolonged suffering these rabbits and birds are enduring," said Clark County Animal Protection and Control Manager William Oglesby. 

"Washington’s animal cruelty laws prohibit the infliction of pain, injury or death on animals, and these recent reports of dead and seriously injured rabbits, left to suffer in these residential neighborhoods, is certainly a crime," said ALDF Animal Cruelty Investigations Manager Linda Fielder. 

"We are hopeful that members of the community are able to come forward with information that will lead to justice for these animals and prevent similar actions in the future," she continued.

What you can do:

Anyone with information is urged to contact Clark County Animal Protection and Control at animal@clark.wa.gov or 564-397-2488. If you have any doorbell or other camera video you can share showing someone using a blow dart gun in the area it can be emailed to the above address.

The Source: Information for this article comes from the Animal Legal Defense Fund. 

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