A SUTHERLAND Shire resident is disappointed Woronora General Cemetery and Crematorium is dealing with its rabbit problem by laying bait.
Bernadette Marusevski said she recently noticed a sign at the cemetery warning visitors that baiting would be taking place and telling them not to bring pets into the area during that period.
"Baiting is a really cruel death; it's a very slow and painful death," she said.
"I don't like animal cruelty.
"It is really sad they have to die in such a painful fashion."
Ms Marusevski said a more humane way of dealing with the rabbit influx would be to capture the animals in cages and take them to a vet to be destroyed humanely.
Steve Donaldson, the site operations manager for the cemetery, said the rabbits had created many holes that were a trip hazard.
"The rabbits are digging holes in the lawns and that causes safety issues for visitors," he said.
"People may trip down the holes which are quite prominent."
Mr Donaldson said it was not viable to have staff filling in each new hole, as the cemetery covered 48 hectares.
He said the three-week baiting program began on July 28 and was being handled by an external company.
"We haven't done baiting for more 12 years, and up until now just tolerated [the rabbits]," he said.
Is baiting the best way of dealing with rabbit problems?
