JSPCA PRESS RELEASE

September 2004  

BUSINESS MAN GUILTY OF CAUSING UNNECESSARY SUFFERING TO RABBITS

Further to numerous complaints made by a variety of individual members of the public to the JSPCA Animals’ Shelter regarding the welfare of animals owned and kept by Mr Alfonso, which perpetuated a lengthy cruelty investigation by the JSPCA Animals' Shelter, Mr Alfonso was charged with neglecting a number of rabbits so as to cause unnecessary suffering.

In the afternoon of 22^nd July 2004, 36 domestic rabbits (of various ages) owned by Mr Alfonso were seized and taken to the JSPCA Animals’ Shelter for their own health, safety and welfare, where upon arrival they have received the necessary and appropriate veterinary care.  Since that date, three of the does have given birth.

Last week Mr Alfonso pleaded guilty to the charge and reappeared in court in the morning of 8^th September 2004 where he was banned from keeping rabbits for five years, although because of the serious nature of the offence and the terrible conditions in which the rabbits had been kept, the judge did say that he had considered imposing a ban on Mr Alfonso from keeping all animals. 

The rabbits had been kept in unacceptable living conditions, with lack of adequate access to water and food.  On the day that the rabbits were seized, several of the hutches even contained maggots in the faecal material that had built up inside the hutches, placing the rabbits at serious risk from ‘fly strike’.  ‘Fly strike’ is an extremely unpleasant and distressing condition for the animal affected and it can occur if flies lay their eggs in a dirty hutch or on an animal.  The fly eggs very quickly hatch into maggots which then may feed on the living tissue of the animal, burrowing deep into the flesh. 

Anyone interested in offering one of these rabbits a loving, new home should contact the JSPCA Animals’ Shelter for further details. 

ENDS