Mystery Act - Missing Rabbits - Animal Protector Activates
After the suspected theft of around 80 Rabbits in the Black Forest, the Animal Welfare Officer sharply criticized their keeping. "It is not usual for 80 rabbits to be kept together. For a hobby keeping, it is not animal welfare conform", said Julia Stubenbord of the German Press Agency in Stuttgart. "According to animal protection law, the owner of the animals must have the necessary knowledge and skills. This includes separating rabbits by gender or castrating them", said the veterinarian.
The rabbits were reported missing since July 15th. They had been housed in a cage of a hotel in Loeffingen (District of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald). The police in South Baden are still investigating the case. "We are investigating in all directions", said a spokesperson in Freiburg. Information that some of the rabbits had appeared in nearby Lenzkirch is being checked.
If rabbits are kept in mixed-gender groups, one must reckon with a sudden increase in their population, said animal welfare activist Stubenbord. "When the rabbits have their young, they can be bred again immediately. That's when it really gets going." In an uncontrolled and long-term breeding, inbreeding can also occur. "This reduces the gene pool and leads to genetic defects in the animals. This must be avoided at all costs."
Hotel owner: "We don't know what happened"
"We don't know what happened", said Verena Reichle, owner of Verena's Parkhotel, looking at the disappearance of the rabbits. "We are quite shocked." Rabbits have been on the premises since 2018, there were four at the time. The population had exploded in the current year - there was likely an uncastrated animal among them. "We contacted the veterinary office for help." The aim was to reduce the population to 15-20 animals. "We didn't want any offspring anymore, we separated the rabbits", said Reichle to the German Press Agency.
The authorities ordered the resolution of the population
The veterinary office had been dealing with the case for three months prior to the rabbits' disappearance, as a spokesperson for the Landratsamt Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald revealed upon request. During the first inspection at the end of April, inbreeding problems were discovered as the rabbits lived in confined spaces. On June 19th, the veterinary office then ordered the population to be dissolved. During a further inspection on July 8th, a dead young rabbit was found.
"The population was separated according to gender and the animal removal was announced by the veterinary office", explained the spokesperson. According to plans, the 30 male rabbits were to be taken out first on July 16th - but the population had already disappeared by then. The keepers or caretakers were to bear the costs for accommodation and possible veterinary costs, it was said by the spokesperson.
- The German Press Agency in Stuttgart reported on the criminality of keeping 80 rabbits together, suggesting it violates animal welfare laws.
- The missing rabbits were originally housed in Löffingen, a town in the District of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald.
- The police in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, are still investigating the theft of the rabbits, considering all possible angles.
- Animal welfare activists warn of the consequences of keeping rabbits in mixed-gender groups, citing genetic defects and uncontrolled breeding as risks.
- Verena Reichle, owner of Verena's Parkhotel in Stuttgart, expressed surprise and shock over the disappearance of her rabbits, which had exploded in population due to an uncastrated animal.
- The veterinary office in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald had been investigating the rabbit population for three months prior to their disappearance, ordering their separation and dissolution due to inbreeding problems and confined spaces.
- Despite the veterinary office's orders to separate the rabbits and announce their removal, all 30 male rabbits were already missing when the plan was set to be executed in Löffingen, Lenzkirch's curious discovery adding to the investigation.
