Caged rabbits drowned in ponds and dumped in parks with broken bones as heartless owners ditch pets after lockdown boom

IN the early hours of New Year’s Day, as thousands partied into the night, one pet owner was dumping 10 rabbits - including baby bunnies - on a street.

They were left to endure freezing overnight temperatures inside a cardboard box and a cage in Dartford, Kent, covered in urine and faeces.

Thankfully, they survived despite being left without food or water after being spotted by a member of the public and rescued by the RSPCA.

Stories like these are all too familiar. Last year, 5,451 cases of rabbit neglect were reported - up by 1,000 from 2020 - and 28 per cent more were taken into care. 

The RSPCA believes mistreatment is often down to ignorance and the “debunked myth” that rabbits are an “easy and cheap, starter pet” - however, sometimes it’s simply wanton abuse.

The charity has told The Sun about rabbits that were dumped in a pond, swung around by their ears and abandoned in spots where they would be an easy meal for hungry predators.

There were 4,741 reports about rabbits in distress last year too, which coupled with only 2,080 being rehomed - the lowest rate in years - has led to a “crisis”, the RSPCA claim. 

Dr Jane Tyson, a rabbit welfare expert at the charity, told The Sun: “It’s really upsetting to think that there are people out there who harm animals on purpose.

“We have seen incidents where rabbits have been dumped, drowned and thrown around, it is such unimaginable cruelty.” 

Between 2016 and 2020, there were 811 incidents of deliberate cruelty towards rabbits, but it’s not always “intentional”, according to Dr Jane. 

And during the first lockdown, it seems many were keen to get their hands on a furry friend - with Google searches for “Rabbits for sale” nearly doubling to 40,000 in April 2020.

Visits to the rabbit rehoming section of the RSPCA’s website rose by 68 per cent between March and August 2020, compared with that same timeframe during the previous year.

Beaten, dumped in ponds & abandoned with wounds

Harrowing reports lay bare the dark extent to which owners will go to get rid of the pets, with cruel humans deliberately attacking and dumping their rabbits. 

In the case of the 10 rabbits abandoned on New Year’s Eve in Kent, RSPCA Inspector Kirsten Ormerod said they were lucky to have been found in time.

She said: “The rabbits were dirty and covered in urine stains so it was clear they had been living in a poor environment. 

“There were very young babies in there with them so it seemed like this was a breeding situation that had got out of control.”

In early December, two male rabbits were ditched in a “bloodstained Amazon box” at a park in Newham, London, after being “callously abandoned and left out in the cold”.

RSPCA Inspector Chris McGreal found them in a “vulnerable and injured” state with overgrown nails and one had both penis and testicle injuries.  

He said: “We know that people’s circumstances can change which may mean they can no longer care for their pets but there is never an excuse to dump an animal like this.”

Back in July, the body of a dead rabbit was found in Westmorland Park, in Bracknell, Berkshire, after being wrapped in a towel and locked in a cage before being chucked into a pond.

RSPCA Inspector Malwina Gasiorek said: “Vets noted the rabbit had severely overgrown incisors, possible bruising under the left eye and a small skin mass on a hind leg.”

One rabbit in High Wycombe, London, was dumped in a garden with a broken leg and eight in Newcastle were ditched on a farm track - they were all at risk of being eaten by predators.

One witness called the RSPCA helpline, which received at least 84,000 calls a month, to report an owner who slapped and bit a rabbit, before holding it by the ears and throwing it on the ground.

Tiny cages, teeth trauma & flesh-eating bugs

Without owners having an adequate understanding of the animals, which can live for up to 12 years, they can easily become victims of neglect or even at risk of death.

Dr Jane said: “When rabbits are bought on impulse, an owner may not realise how complex they are to care for and what a commitment caring for rabbits can be.

“The myth that they are an easy and good pet for children has been perpetuated for years but the reality is very different, they are very complex animals. 

“They need a lot of space to live - bigger than traditional hutches - and to exercise to ensure their mental wellbeing is catered for.

“A lot are kept in unsuitable conditions like hutches stacked on top of one another, in dirty containers, with little to no food or water and often overcrowded.

“They also have a very specialised diet and constantly need to eat to wear down the teeth, which are continually growing, and to ensure they are the right size and shape.

One rabbit can easily end up becoming 30 or 40 rabbits in no time at all and easily they can have way more than that

Dr Jane Tyson

“If they don’t, they grow into a curved shape, similar to if your teeth grew under your chin or over your nose. It’s extremely painful for rabbits and prevents them from feeding.

“Any impediment to eating even for a short amount of time is really serious and it can be fatal as they suffer from gastrointestinal stasis.  

“Then in the warmer seasons owners need to check for flystrike twice a day, which is where flies lay eggs on their bottoms and when the maggots hatch they eat the rabbit’s flesh.

“It’s really horrid and causes intense suffering, which can also be fatal. It’s not just dirty rabbits who can be affected too, it’s clean rabbits as well.' 

That’s not the only problem, as the old saying “breeding like rabbits” is true beyond many owners’ wildest imaginations.

Some rabbit breeds can get pregnant from three months old and give birth after 30 days, then two hours after going through labour can be impregnated. 

Dr Jane said: “They typically tend to give birth at night so many owners, who aren’t aware their rabbit is pregnant, can find lots of babies and that their rabbit is already pregnant again. 

“One rabbit can easily end up becoming 30 or 40 rabbits in no time at all and easily they can have way more than that.”

'Impulse & novelty purchases risk abuse'

PETA has received concerning reports too and claim “many people buy rabbits on a whim” because they look “cute and cuddly” without understanding how much care they need. 

Elisa Allen, director of the animal welfare charity, told The Sun: “Once the novelty has worn off, many are neglected, relegated to outdoor hutches, surrendered to animal shelters, or simply turned loose in the wild, where they have little chance of surviving. 

“Unfortunately, PETA often hears reports of rabbits being dumped, abused, or killed. 

“Also, when confined on their own to outdoor hutches, rabbits lead lives of quiet desperation. 

“They're exposed not only to weather extremes but also to parasites like fleas and ticks as well as industrious predators, who will work hard to break into hutches to attack the terrified animals.”

This was highlighted last month in Arbroath, Scotland, when Laura Fraser’s three rabbits were killed by a mink that escaped and got into her outdoor hutch.

PETA says only people with “necessary time, money and know-how” should adopt rabbits and preferably in a pair because they become “withdrawn and depressed if left alone for long periods”. 

Dr Jane agrees that families need to do more research before buying pets only to realise they are “unable to care for them” later on and have to surrender them to charities like the RSPCA.

She said: “Over the course of the pandemic, we saw a large number of people looking to get pets for a number of reasons.

“For some, it was them working at home or their children being homeschooled, others couldn’t go on holiday so they had more money to spend.

“Now the pandemic is easing and we return to normal life, we will see more rabbits being taken in by our teams, some who have been neglected and are in need of our help. 

“Also anecdotally, we hear of fewer rabbits being homed because there are not enough ‘good homes’ for them to go to, which is really sad.” 

Dr Jane insists that rabbits are “wonderful pets” but only if “given the right care and conditions” because they “are not easy to look after”.

She added: “They are very active and intelligent animals and it can be really lovely to spend time watching them play and explore."

If you're concerned about an animal call the RSPCA's helpline, which is open every day from 7am until 10pm, on 0300 1234 999 or visit: .