WANTED! $5,000 Reward For Information On Rabbits Targeted With Blow Darts In Washington State

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), a leading organization in legal advocacy for animal protection, is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the recent incidents involving rabbits found with blow darts embedded in them around Vancouver, Washington.

“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, are 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.”

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, Washington. The agency has also received information that a migratory woodpecker with a blow dart embedded in its abdomen was seen at a feeder in the area. While Clark County Animal Protection and Control officers were able to locate several injured rabbits, which were later euthanized due to the extent of their injuries, others evaded capture and may still be in the area. Animal control officers are also finding blow darts in yards.

“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. “These incidents are occurring in heavily populated areas and near schools. We are hoping to identify the person or persons responsible before more harm is done in our community. The county is committed to bringing this individual to justice.”

If you possess any doorbell or surveillance camera footage capturing an individual using a blow dart gun in the vicinity, please email it to Clark County Animal Protection and Control using the contact information below.

After being selected to participate in ALDF’s Collaborative Response Project, a year-long grant initiative that provides funds, equipment, training, and consultation to agencies responsible for enforcing state animal cruelty laws, Clark County is now a focal point for collaborative efforts. The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is actively working alongside Clark County Animal Protection and Control and local law enforcement agencies to enhance their capacity and effectiveness in this crucial area.

If you have any information related to these incidents, please contact Clark County Animal Protection and Control at animal@clark.wa.gov or (564) 397-2488. You may include your contact information for follow-up, or leave an anonymous tip.