Fake Cow Blasts Bunnies

(London, England) A British farmer who supplies beef to London's oldest restaurant has been plagued with rabbits eating his pastures bare. To solve the problem, 69-year-old Paul Coppen has outfitted an old tractor with wooden sideboards displaying the picture of a cow and a firing platform with gunports to allow shooting of the bunnies.

He said: "One of my neighbours, Stan Mitchell, came up with the idea and helped me out, and I just went with it. I hoped the rabbits would ignore the fake cow, thinking it was just another member of the herd, thereby presenting a stationary target for the rifleman as I drive about the farm.

"A driver-cum-rifleman was cunningly camouflaged behind a picture of a tree above the cow. Maximum angle of fire was achieved by pointing the air-rifle through a horizontal slit above the cow, not unlike the firing positions in Second World War pillboxes.

"It has to be said that not all rabbits are entirely fooled. Whereas cattle obviously do move around, trees usually don't and that may be a problem."

Mr. Coppen said that no cows have been accidentally shot so far and the stock bull, Granite Brain, has indicated no amorous leaning towards the tractor.

I would expect animal rights activists to protest.