Hey, Dickheads: Quit Shooting Rabbits With Blow Darts.

Hey, dickheads. Stop shooting wild rabbits with blow darts.

The Aurora Animal Service Department sent an announcement today, August 20, alerting the public that city officials are on the lookout for someone shooting rabbits with a "blow dart or blowgun-style weapon."

According to Aurora Animal Services, there were five confirmed incidents of rabbits found with blow darts in their bodies between July 15 and August 19, and one died from the injuries. Some photos show rabbits with as many as four blow darts still in them. All five of the incidents were reported near the intersection of East Glasgow Place and South White Crow Way, by the Southlands area.

Already at the bottom of the food chain, rabbits are having a hard enough summer as it is. A tentacle- and horn-growing virus specific to rabbits, cottontail rabbit papillomavirus, is sweeping through the Front Range this summer. According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, most rabbits eventually shed the odd-looking growths and survive the virus, but it can be fatal.

So let's not add to their misery with blow darts, yeah?

“Just because an animal isn’t a traditional pet, doesn’t mean we won’t look out for their well being,” Aurora Animal Control officer Lucas Barr says in the announcement. “These darts cause internal bleeding as well as infection that can cause severe pain before the animal will succumb to their injuries. Deliberately harming an animal is something our agency takes seriously, and we will investigate it thoroughly.”

Anyone caught shooting animals with blow darts could face animal cruelty charges and be subject to fines and jail time, the agency adds. If you notice a similarly injured rabbit, the city asks you to contact Aurora's Animal Control Dispatch, but not Aurora Police Department.

Photos of a rabbit with blow dart injuries in the Denver area have been shared on social media since as early as May, with Reddit users reporting sightings in the Hale neighborhood, around South Colorado Boulevard. It's unclear if the photos are of different rabbits or the same one, however. Denver Animal Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment about sightings of injured rabbits in the city.

You can call Aurora Animal Control at 303-326-8288 (choose option 6) to report any sightings or information about injured rabbits. Callers can remain anonymous. Tips with photos, can be emailed to [email protected]. Denver residents can report injured wildlife and welfare complaints by calling Denver Animal Protection officer dispatch at 720-913-2080.