About 40 bunnies abandoned at Wieder Park

Harriett M. Wieder Regional Park, and possibly its surrounding area, has been hopping since Sunday morning after an unknown person abandoned about 40 rabbits.

Ryan Drabek, director of OC Animal Care, said his office has gotten multiple calls about the animals, which have been described as white and possibly domesticated.

Animal care officials have made repeated stops in the area but have yet to recover any of the rabbits, he said.

“We’ve gotten calls,” Drabek said. “So far, nobody’s been able to provide any information about who did the dumping. Obviously, animal abandonment is against the law. It would be nice if anyone could contact us with a license plate or anything that could assist us.”

Drabek did not have a description of the vehicle that dropped off the rabbits.

Brian Peterson, who lives near the park, said a neighbor told him a pickup truck had stopped by the park early Sunday morning and the driver had unloaded the rabbits from cages.

Peterson said he saw 30 or 40 rabbits in the park about 9 a.m. Sunday. In the early afternoon, he returned and found at least two of the rabbits killed, possibly by dogs or coyotes.

The surviving rabbits, he said, were “all over the place,” and some people were tossing carrots to them.

“If they didn’t get eaten, they’re probably still hopping around the area,” Peterson said.

Wieder Regional Park, located near the intersection of Seapoint Street and Garfield Avenue, comprises 4 acres of a planned 106-acre site, according to the OC Parks website.

The park includes a picnicking area, decomposed granite pathways, playgrounds, trails, a scenic viewpoint and more.

Drabek urged anyone who spotted or captured a rabbit to call OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848. Small animals like rabbits, he said, are particularly vulnerable outside the home.

“If they were domesticated, they’re used to being fed,” he said. “These are animals that need some care.”

michael.miller@latimes.com

Twitter: @MichaelMillerHB