Ferreting out the rabbit problem in Compton and Shawford

7:20am Wednesday 7th January 2009

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IT sounds like the plot of Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, but a Hampshire village is facing a real-life bunny “plague”.

Many are at their wits’ end with grass, vegetables and plants being devoured.

The fluffy foes have become public enemy number one and their population is escalating.

In desperation, villagers in Compton and Shawford, are turning to an unusual means of pest control – ferrets.

The animals infiltrate warrens and flush the bunnies into waiting nets, where they are humanely killed.

Villagers say they have no choice due to fears about hygiene and damage to gardens.

Among those affected is Ken Staunton, a committee member of Compton and Shawford Sports Club.

He said rabbits were leaving droppings in the cricket practice nets and digging up parts of their pitches near Cliff Way.

It comes three months after an amateur footballer tried suing the parish council in nearby Twyford after claiming that he caught his foot in a hole during a match.

While the council won, Mr Staunton said the sports club wanted to avoid any similar legal action in their village.

He added that mild winters had allowed the bunny population to soar, turning Compton and Shawford into a “rabbitat”.

He went online to search for people who could help, and soon came across several who rounded up rabbits. Most were amateurs, and usually worked with dogs or, in one case, birds of prey.

However, after some initial trials last month, he said ferrets had proved the most effective.

They chase rabbits into nets, where the ferret owners slit their throats before selling them to butchers and restaurants in Hampshire and beyond.

While the owners keep a low profile due to the controversial nature of their work, Mr Staunton said they were not too hard to find.

In addition to patrolling the sports field, the ferret owners have offered their services to residents nearby.

Mr Staunton said: “We’re not rabbit haters and we don’t get any pleasure out of doing this but we are dealing with a plague here.

“There are issues of hygiene along with the damage, and also the danger of the holes that they leave behind.”

He added that the ferrets might not be needed so much if the current cold weather persists.

He said: “With recent warm winters the rabbits have continued to breed all year round and fewer are dying.

“It seems that unless we have a few really cold winters we will need to cull about three times a year to keep the numbers down.”

The villagers are also seeking other ways to reduce the rabbit population, preferably as humanely as possible.

Anyone with ideas can contact the club by e-mailing rabbits@hazards.plus.com.