i remember when i was about 13/14 and my next door neighbours had a big dutch rabbit in a 2 foot hutch, which was left behind a fence type thing at the bottom of their garden, it wasnt cleaned out unless i went round and did it myself with my guinea pigs bedding, i did this i think 3 times, over the course of about 4 months, the rabbit had some food, but rarely water. once on a very hot summers day, with the hutch in full on sun, i went to check it (hopped over the fence coz i fell out with them about it) it had no water and was laying in moving bedding (maggots), i took it out, its claws were hugely over grown, and i brought a bottle of water out to it and it drank form the bottle while i poured it in front of its face. ive never seen such a thirsty animal,i put it back in, though i really didnt want to, i scraped out the inch thick layer of droppings and the maggots with a piece of wood and left a couple of carrots and filled his water bottle. i had reported the rabbit on several occassions, and no-one ever came out.
eventually i reported them one last time and an rspca inspector came out. the rabbit was on moving bedding full of maggots-again, no food, no water, over grown claws, matted fur. the inspector said there was no reason to take the animal, and simply left the owners a sheet with care tips.
as soon as darkness fell that night, i hopped the fence, and stole the rabbit. the owners, baring in mind the bunny had no water and food and still needed cleaning out and were told about it that day by the inspector, did not even realise the rabbit was gone for 3 days after i took him
they came round and said their rabbit had escaped. they asked me if i had seen it, i said i hope it had escaped and managed to find a better owner, and asked them when they last cleaned out/fed/watered 'thumper', they told me they had done it that morning-3 days after i took it they apparently fed it and saw it
the same people also owned a small dog with long fur, riddled with fleas and ears so sore you couldnt go near it to stroke it as it cried in pain, and a goldfish which they decided they had enough of so they put it in a bowl of boiling water. even with the rspca knowing all this, they still left the animals with these cruel heartless people
thumper the rabbit lived a long and happy life with one of my friends, he had a 4 foot hutch, cleaned out twice a week, lots of food and water and treats and a nice big run on fresh grass.
as for their little dog,she escaped on one of its usual jaunts to try to find food, and was run over and killed on the road outside their house. as far as i know, they no longer own any animals, i just hope it stays that way
i have very little to do with the rspca any more, they seem to try to pass the buck to whoever they can and even in obviously cruel cases will mostly leave the animal and 'give care tips'. ive reported other cases too, with more or less the same outcome.
