A case involving an oddly friendly rabbit prompted Summit County Animal Control officers to respond to the Copper Mountain area in recent days.

According to a report on the matter, animal control officers were contacted about a rabbit that had been hanging out in the area of the ski town for a few days, reportedly trying to hop into people’s vehicles. An employee in the area became concerned that the rabbit might be a domestic animal that had gotten loose, likely due to its friendly nature and lack of fear of humans.

While officers were unable to locate the rabbit on the day of the report, employees were eventually able to get a clear picture of the animal. At that point, authorities determined that the rabbit was wild, not someone’s pet. Those involved in the report were given two options from animal control – either leave the rabbit alone or set a live trap and release it within two miles of where it was found. The ultimate fate of the rabbit was not addressed in the sheriff’s office report on the matter.

While not addressed in the official report, wild animals that are friendly in Colorado often behave in that manner because they’ve gotten food from humans in the past. This can result in unnatural behavior that’s dangerous for the animal – in this case, the rabbit was observed around vehicles, which could result in getting hit. Some might think it can be ‘cute’ to feed an animal that’s spotted on the trail or otherwise, but in many cases, this can negatively impact that animal’s ability to survive in the wild. Don’t feed Colorado’s wildlife and do your part to keep Colorado’s wildlife wild.

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