Reported incidents of rabbits getting shot in Lyon Park have led to new signs warning of consequences for animal cruelty.
For the past two springs, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington has responded to reports of someone injuring rabbits in the neighborhood, south of Courthouse, spokesperson Chelsea Jones told ARLnow.
In 2023, AWLA received calls about three rabbits struck with blow darts near N. Barton Street, including one photographed with a dart lodged in the area of its head.
Animal control personnel successfully captured another rabbit that had been shot in the leg. AWLA sent it to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, where it recovered and was released into the wild.
The incidents didn’t stop there, however. Last spring, AWLA again responded a report of an injured rabbit in the same neighborhood — this time, shot with a BB gun, Jones said.
“This year, Chief Jennifer Toussaint decided to preemptively post signage in this specific neighborhood to inform/remind residents that shooting or harming rabbits intentionally is a crime,” she said. “There have been no incidents yet this year, and we hope there won’t be.”
A sign urges anyone who witnesses someone mistreating wildlife to call animal control at 703-931-9241.
“There are effective, humane ways to deter rabbits from your property, including tree barriers, scare devices, and habitat modification,” the posting says.
Who the hell is going around shooting rabbits in Arlington? Just saw this advisory notice from @awlarlington.bsky.social posted up in Lyon Park. @arlnow.bsky.social
— Theo in Arlington (@adamtheo.com) March 29, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Eastern cottontail rabbits are common throughout Virginia.
While they mostly feed on buds, twigs and bark during the winter, their diet shifts in the spring to include clovers, grasses, leafy weeds and, at times, garden vegetables, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Photo by Erinn Shirley/Flickr
