The owner of a company with the inside track to control Kelowna's exploding rabbit population, says the fate of the bunnies is not a foregone conclusion.

City Urban Forestry Supervisor, Ian Wilson, is recommending council award the contract to EBB Environmental Consulting, a company based in the Lower Mainland.

EBB Environmental Consulting came in with a bid of $54,000.

Company owner, Oliver Busby, says the company plans to live trap the rabbits, but after that, he's unsure what will become of the animals.

"In terms of what we do with them after that, we still need to talk to the province about that and then talk to any citizens in the area that are interested in accepting some of the rabbits," says Busby.

"They would have to meet the criteria set forth by the province."

Busby says if circumstances allow, his first choice would be to keep the rabbits alive, however, he cautions the province may have other ideas.

"I understand the province is very pro-euthanizing because they are an introduced species and the fear is they will colonize the way the have in other jurisdictions and cause a lot of damage."

He says if euthanizing is the preferred option, the details would have to be discussed with the regional biologist and the provincial veterinarian.

"We would discuss the most humane method."

Busby says if his company does get the contract, he doesn't anticipate starting right away.

"We would like to do it in the fall when the animals are most likely to be trapped, when we can entice them with food. That seems to be the best method, probably the most effective method because we know they are going to be hungry, we know where they are and we can be most efficient with our time."

Busby's company is no stranger to Kelowna.

They have the contract for the goose control program.

"We have a couple of crews doing the addling program."

He adds his company has not utilized any lethal techniques with the geese.

Meantime, The Responsible Animal Care Society(TRACS), is upset a contract is recommended to a company which could use lethal methods on the rabbits.

TRACS spokesperson, Sinikka Crosland, says her group would actively protest any effort to kill rabbits.

Since March, Crosland says TRACS has trapped 214 rabbits. All she says remain alive in either a sanctuary or at adopted homes.