Canmore's Rabbit Problem

Also available at mises.ca

Rabbits plague the town of Canmore. They've been around for years, the result of a municipal failure. Someone once had a lot of rabbits on his property; this went against the town's by-laws. After an unsuccessful legal battle, the rabbit owner cleared his property of rabbits by releasing them into the town. And since rabbits breed like.... well, rabbits, the sight of these animals is a normal concern for residents.

But never fear! The State is here! The municipal government is working with the Alberta provincial government to eradicate the rabbit infestation. First things first: disarm the citizens. Or at least prevent them from trapping the rabbits. That's right: killing or any violence towards these animals is strictly prohibited. Second, wait over two decades before taking any action. Then contract these prohibited actions out to a single firm. According to the bureaucrats in charge, this bunny situation requires practising crony capitalism.
 

Citizen outrage! The Earthanimal Humane Education and Rescue Society (EARS) is set up and operate on voluntary donations. Their goal is to make sure these rabbits receive humane habitats, are neutered/spayed or retired peacefully. Unfortunately for EARS, their legal status prevent them from catching the rabbits themselves. They too must go through the contractor the provincial government has awarded.
 

What started as a complaint between neighbours about backyard rabbit farms ballooned into a zoning law issue, an infestation issue and now (two decades later) an unsound central plan that is destroying civilization. Canmore residents are forced to pay $10,000 a month on the town's rabbits. That's $157 per rabbit. Free markets perform better than government planning. If people were allowed to trap, shoot and kill rabbits on their own property, then this whole situation would be under control. Canmore would be wealthier because of it.
 

If freedom was legalized, people would likely take up trapping rabbits with the intent of using them for personal use or voluntary trade. An entrepreneur may buy rabbit and incorporate it into other capital goods that eventually make a consumer product. Having a great number of individuals trade, consume and transform raw materials adds variety and diversity to the town. Instead, Canmore residents are left poorer as rabbits continue to breed faster than the government's contractor can catch them.