CONVICTED (2023) | Paul Comer, born c. 1967, of 5 St Hilda Close, Dereham NR19 2EH – allowed his pet rabbit to become so poorly he had to be put to sleep.

Comer pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a male lop-eared rabbit called Bugsy in that he failed to provide adequate professional veterinary care and attention for his eye infection and failed to meet his welfare needs.

Bugsy had been kept on the bottom level only of a two-tier hutch. The housing was inadequate with no bedding and was also filthy with layers of excrement.

No hay, grass or fresh food was available for the rabbit.

A vet who examined Bugsy said in their report: “In my opinion the rabbit was suffering a great deal of pain and discomfort. This suffering could have been prevented by adequate attention and appropriate veterinary treatment.

“Moreover, the rabbit had also been caused to suffer mentally and physically due to extremely poor husbandry with its needs not being met to the extent required by good practice (inadequate diet, in particular lack of dietary fibre), lack of space to move and to express normal behaviour, as well as lack of company of its own kind (as he was kept as a solitary animal which is not appropriate for a species that is gregarious).“

Sadly, the vet took the difficult decision to euthanise Bugsy due to his poor condition.

Speaking about the case, investigating RSPCA Inspector Emily Astillberry said: “In 18 years as an RSPCA Inspector, I have never seen a rabbit with so many obvious health problems that was still alive. He didn’t stand quite upright, his head was tilted to the right so that his right ear was touching the table, with the tip of the left ear a couple of inches off the table.

“The right eye was covered with a thick, white/yellow coloured discharge that smelled of infection and when we gently cleaned it away, the eye underneath was swollen, pink and looked extremely sore.

“All over the back of the rabbit, the fur was matted and underneath and around the back, there was a huge area of matted faeces covering his bottom and tummy towards the back.

“His ears felt firm and were tender to touch. We put him on the floor and he tried to walk across the room. He was unable to walk properly, dragging his back legs along as they slipped underneath him when he took a step. Sadly this is a case of neglect to a helpless animal who was left forgotten in awful conditions.”

In mitigation the court heard Comer had been reluctantly left with the rabbit. He said he had sought to provide his own treatment for the eye infection which had appeared to clear up. He said the rabbit had been out of sight and was an unwanted responsibility he had acquired.

Sentencing | fined £916 and ordered to pay costs of £300 plus victim surcharge. Disqualified for five years from keeping small caged animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, chinchillas, mice, rats, ferrets, degus, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians (expires March 2028).

Norfolk Live
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