A young student adopted three rabbits and brought them to her home without the consent of her uncle, whom she was living with. Little did she know that her decision would lead to alleged abuse and, subsequently, the death of one of her fluffy pets.
According to rescue group Bunny Wonderland, the rabbit owner sought help from them after finding the animals hurt. Limited housing space meant that her rabbits were often breaking out of their cages and escaping to her uncle’s room. The annoyed man would often lock them in the bathroom, but it seems that his annoyance went to a head — he allegedly confessed to his niece that he had been hitting the rabbits with a wooden rod.
With the help of House Rabbit Society Singapore (HRSS), the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), the three rabbits were rescued. One of the bunnies by the name of Apollo, however, was said to have been in “appalling condition”.
“Three of his legs were broken and he could not move his lower half at all,” wrote Bunny Wonderland on Facebook.
“His lower spine was fractured and almost all his ribs were broken. The old injuries may have healed but the long term abuse had put a strain on Apollo. He lost all senses to his limbs, he cannot defecate on his own, and no medication in his world could heal him. We even brought Apollo to see Dr Landon, our top surgical specialist, but his injuries were so severe that there was no solution.”
Bunny Wonderland took care of the three-year-old rabbit after its discharge, putting it on long-term pain relief and rinsing it daily.
Alas, Apollo succumbed to its injuries and passed away after collapsing on the morning of Nov 21, showing signs of neurological disorder.
Right now, the case has been handed over to AVA, who’ll be investigating the alleged animal cruelty that led to the rabbit’s death.
“Apollo’s story should be a lesson learned by everyone, including pet owners and rescuers. The authorities need to protect the third most common pet in Singapore,” Bunny Wonderland wrote.
“We hope that our authorities can review the evidence provided and make the right judgement.”
