RSPCA: Animal charity investigates after pet rabbits thrown from car - one with 'suspicious' deadly injuries

The RSPCA is investigating after a driver reportedly flung several domestic rabbits from a white BMW - with one dying of suspicious injuries.

A Derbyshire resident called the animal charity when she came across two abandoned rabbits on Saul Lane, near Allestree Park in Derby. She had been alerted to the scene by the sound of a car door slamming at around 7pm on Thursday, 14 December. Her husband confronted a person in a car at the scene, but they quickly sped off.

While one rabbit was found uninjured on a grass verge, they discovered another lying nearby which was badly hurt. It was taken to a local vet, but its injuries were so severe it had to be euthanised. Several other rabbits were also at the site, but they scattered and have not been found.

The rabbit who survived the ordeal, a neutered male lop, is now in the care of the RSPCA, but a vet who examined the deceased rabbit says its death may be suspicious. The animal had suffered a broken neck and facial injuries.

The RSPCA first issued a request for anyone with information to come forward in late December, but the animal welfare charity renewed its appeal on social media on 18 January. RSPCA inspector Pamela Bird, who is investigating the incident, said: “This is a cruel abandonment of domestic rabbits who were left in the open. The caller noticed a white BMW at the scene with its doors all open after hearing a bit of commotion, but when he approached the car it sped off.

"One of the rabbits was found on a grass verge, while later another rabbit was found nearby," she continued. "If anyone saw anything suspicious in this area of Derby that evening or if anyone recognises these rabbits then we would ask them to contact the RSPCA appeals line number on 0800 123 8018."

The RSPCA is grappling with a big rise in the numbers of rabbits - and other small mammals like guinea pigs, rats, and mice - that are being abandoned or given up by their owners, with a 48% increase from 2021 to 2021. Up to the end of May this year, the charity’s animal centres had taken in 307 rabbits - and 378 others had arrived at its branches.

The charity is in the midst of an animal abandonment crisis - which it believes is linked to more and more people struggling to meet the cost of living. Abandonment calls at the charity have reached a three-year high, and rescuers estimate around 18,000 animals were dumped throughout the course of 2023.

The RSPCA has issued a call for animal lovers to donate to its 'Join the winter rescue' campaign to enable teams to keep helping and caring for these abandoned pets, ahead of what's expected to be a busy winter.