A nine-year-old pet rabbit was snatched from a garden in Hull by a man who lifted him into the air by his ears, sparking a desperate search before a stranger found him dumped in a car park and reunited him with his owner.
The incident took place on St Pauls Street in Hull, East Yorkshire, in broad daylight at around 5.18pm on Saturday, October 17. CCTV footage shows one man, dressed in a dark winter coat, bending down to grab the rabbit, named Peter, before lifting him into the air by his ears. A second man, wearing a leather jacket and black hat, can be seen filming the ordeal on his mobile phone as both men walk away laughing.
The rabbit was dangled in mid-air by his ears for more than 20 seconds as he writhed and fought to break free, according to the CCTV footage.
Owner's desperate search
Owner Amy Grace, 38, returned home from the shops with her son Harvey to discover Peter missing. After checking her CCTV camera to see if he was hiding, she saw two men loitering outside her front garden gate before the attack.
Speaking about watching the footage back, Grace said: "All I could do was scream and cry when I saw it. You can see him trying to fight in the video, which is what broke my heart. He fought so hard. I can't believe how cruel people can be to something so innocent."
Peter, who normally lives in the back garden, was roaming in the front area due to ongoing work at the rear of the property. A wooden pallet had been placed against the gate to keep him secure. The nine-year-old rabbit suffers from gut stasis, a critical condition requiring medication three times a day.
Reunion after a stranger's call
Following the ordeal, Grace and her children spent hours searching nearby parks, gardens and flats with torches. Posting a desperate appeal on Facebook, she wrote: "I want to know who the f*** these are that took my baby! Now! He is 9 years old and a bunny, he relies on medication... he needs finding ASAP if he is still alive. My children are devastated."
At one point during the search, Grace said she was told the men had tried to sell Peter to a neighbour, who had assumed he was a wild rabbit. Fearing the cruel treatment had proved fatal, she admitted she had given up hope, suspecting his neck may have been broken while he was swung about.
However, on Sunday, October 19, Grace confirmed Peter had been safely reunited with the family after being spotted by a kind stranger. She posted: "Peter was found dumped in a car park last night and a lovely kind stranger has messaged me with a video and I now have him home. He will be going to the vets to make sure everything is ok with him."
Police investigation
Humberside Police confirmed they are investigating the theft and have appealed for witnesses to come forward. A spokesperson said: "We received reports of a rabbit being stolen from a garden on St Pauls Street, Hull at around 8.30pm on Saturday, 17 October. Enquiries remain ongoing and anyone with information that may be able to assist officers with ongoing enquiries is urged to call 101 quoting log 441 of 17 October."
