Rabbits abandoned, 1 found dead
Philomath, OR (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 2, 2005
County: Benton
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
Chance, the female mixed-breed rabbit, now has a second chance, thanks to the help of a good Samaritan. Her companion was not so lucky.
Chance and her rabbit partner were found in a hutch in a wooded area outside Philomath last week. Their hutch was filled with moldy feces, a rusting and empty water bottle, and no food. By the time someone discovered them, the other rabbit had died of neglect, and Chance was a third of her normal body weight.
"It's a terrible rabbit abandonment case," said Kerry Mullin, executive director of Heartland Humane Society.
Chance is doing well, but caregivers are still keeping an eye on her. Although her coat is healthy, her ribs and bones are still prominent under her fur.
While Mullin said Heartland does not advocate vigilante animal rescue, she said when someone witnesses an animal in immediate danger, they should act and save the animal.
Benton County animal control officer Rich Wendland agreed.
"If they are on the property for legitimate reasons and they come upon something," Wendland said, those who discover animal abuse should act on it. "Rescuing is the right thing to do."
He has not located the hutch where the rabbits were found, but has a good indication of where the property is located. He's not sure yet if the hutch was abandoned, or if the animals suffered from extreme neglect. Either way, he said, the animals' owners could face charges.
Animal abandonment is a Class C misdemeanor and is punishable by up to a $1,000 fine. Any time animal control picks up a stray animal and an owner never comes forward to claim it, Wendland considers that to be abandonment.
To contact Heartland about adopting a rabbit, cat or other animal, call 757-9000 or see www.heartlandhumane.org. References« OR State Animal Cruelty Map
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