BOSSES at a holiday park near Helensburgh have denied deliberately introducing a viral disease to cull rabbits at the site after visitors and residents raised concerns.

The Advertiser was contacted by guests and residents of Rosneath Castle Park reporting that dozens of dead and dying rabbits had been uncovered in a forest near the caravan destination.

A number of residents said they felt “deeply uncomfortable” about the situation but “felt it necessary to speak out”, while one person told us they and their children “don’t have the stomach for what’s occurring”.

An outbreak of myxomatosis - which is usually fatal in European rabbits - is believed to be behind the deaths of the animals.

A group of residents told the Advertiser: “Myxomatosis has not been heard of for a long time but now residents are sickened and despairing because dead animal carcasses and dying rabbits are everywhere.

“There is a strong sense that this disease has been brought in as a measure to keep rabbit numbers down.

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“The rabbit’s fate is an ugly one. It goes blind and disorientated. Organs shut down and the crows eat them while they are still alive.”

Another guest said: “My two girls watched at the window of my mother’s caravan while a dog ravaged a dying rabbit.

“Hours earlier, my husband called the park office about the rabbit to be met with a response that they’d attend to it.

“They never came and we took the dead rabbit into the forest, only to uncover dozens of dead and dying rodents.

“I’ve spoken with other residents and caravan owners who are sickened at what’s going on.”

A spokesman for the holiday park dismissed claims that the outbreak was deliberate as “speculative”, and said the disease is “all over the peninsula”.

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The spokesman said: “We certainly haven’t introduced it at all, we would never do that.

“It’s a disease that comes around every few years, it’s not new.

“It’s not a nice disease and it’s only present in species of rabbits. It cannot harm children or dogs or any other animal. The park and Home Farm next to us have not introduced it at all.

“Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do. You’d need to get every rabbit vaccinated, unfortunately these are wild rabbits and it’s pretty impossible to vaccinate every single one because the disease spreads quite quickly, and they’re buried underground, so I don’t know how you would catch every single rabbit.

“I am very sympathetic [towards the residents], I wish I could do something more but it’s just a disease that runs through the population. It is all over the peninsula.”

The spokesman added: “I wish it didn’t exist but you wish cancer in humans didn’t exist either. It’s under control as much as it can be.

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“I wish there was just a silver bullet and we could turn back time and vaccinate every rabbit but unfortunately we can’t really do much more, and neither can many of the authorities.”

The Scottish SPCA confirmed that they have recently attended jobs regarding wild rabbits with myxomatosis in the area and said that outbreaks are not unusual.

Chief inspector, Elaine Lindsay, said: “We appreciate how distressing it can be for members of the public who find these animals when they are unwell.

“The symptoms include bulging eyes which can sometimes be crusted shut, discharge from mouth and eyes and laboured breathing. Sadly, the disease does cause the animal to suffer and will eventually end in death as there is no cure.

“Unfortunately, the only way to eradicate the disease is by removing those with myxomatosis from the population.

“We would advise all pet owners to make sure their rabbits are vaccinated against the disease as it can be easily spread.

“Our advice to anyone who spots a rabbit with myxomatosis is to try and contain the rabbit and contact us on 03000 999 999.”