Badly battered rabbit found in parking lot
Attleboro, MA (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2011
County: Bristol

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

A pet rabbit badly battered in a suspected case of animal cruelty was euthanized after it was found last week in a parking lot off Riverbank Road.

The injuries included a broken spine and pelvis, according to rabbit rescue workers who tried to save the domesticated bunny they named Gertie after city animal control officers transferred it to their care.

While workers could not say the injuries were definitely inflicted by a person, they said the damage was inconsistent with being hit by a motor vehicle or an animal attack.

They're hoping to find out what happened to the rabbit, which was also suffering from its internal organs being smashed into its upper chest cavity.

"We determined if the rabbit had been hit by a car, it would not have survived," said a worker named Pam from Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue in Rhode Island. "This injury appeared to come from the top of the rabbit down - with force. "We can't be certain it was intentional cruelty, but we can rule out a predator attack, and it was probably not hit by a car."

The group submitted an X-ray to The Sun Chronicle showing what appears to be a badly damaged spine.

Shannon Cail of House Rabbit Network strongly suspects a case of cruelty.

"Someone, somewhere in Attleboro knows something about this poor little bunny. No innocent creature should be subjected to this kind of abuse - ever," she said. "What happened to Gertie should not ever happen to any animal, and stuff like this needs to be brought to the forefront of our communities."

If anyone knows what happened to Gertie - described as a large female domestic rabbit found May 18 near the Ten Mile River opposite Balfour Riverwalk park - they should call the city's animal control department at 508-761-5617 or the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at 617-522-6008 or 800-628-5808.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Massachusetts SPCA
617-522-6008 or 800-628-5808

References

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