Rabbits abandoned in Bukit Panjang and Ang Mo Kio
Four rabbits were believed to have been abandoned in a week, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said on Dec 10.
In a Facebook post, SPCA said it was first alerted that two rabbits were spotted at Zhenghua Nature Park in Bukit Panjang on Nov 29.
SPCA said its animal rescue officer and volunteers from private rabbit rescue group Bunny Wonderland rescued the rabbits, which have been named Zayne and Zenni.
They were placed under the care of Bunny Wonderland.
In a separate incident on Dec 3, two rabbits were found abandoned in a cage at a washing area in Ang Mo Kio.
SPCA said the rabbits, which were found at Block 407 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, were visibly frightened and suffered from severe skin issues.
The rabbits were taken to the society’s clinic for treatment and were diagnosed with scabies, a highly contagious disease.
One of the rabbits suffered cardiac arrest during examination and died, while the other died on Dec 10, SPCA said.
Photos shared on SPCA’s Facebook page show the rabbits with overgrown nails and hyper keratinised, dried crusty lesions on their ears.
SPCA told ST it has escalated the case to the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) under the National Parks Board, adding that the authorities are investigating both cases of abandonment.
“Rabbits are extremely vulnerable animals and their chances of survival in the wild are very slim,” it added.
Those who suspect that an animal has been abandoned should try to secure it if it is safe to do so or keep watch until help arrives, it said.
They may also take photos or videos of the situation, and report the case immediately to the SPCA, AVS or the police.
SPCA investigated 862 cases of animal cruelty and welfare concerns between July 2022 and June 2023.
The figure is the highest in 11 years.
In that same period, it helped 266 abandoned animals – a sharp increase from a yearly average of up to 70 cases in previous years.
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