Graphic content: Pit with dead bunnies discovered at Benoni Bunny Park
Many of the bunnies are deformed as uncontrolled breeding is taking place
THE shocking conditions at Benoni Bunny Park have urged volunteers at Kitty and Puppy Haven to take on the new title of Bunny Huggers.
This comes after the non-profit organisation has been alerted by one of its followers of the shocking neglect at the bunny park.
Volunteers who went to investigate said: “What we found was beyond heartbreaking and horrific. The conditions of the bunnies and other farm animals are horrendous. The lack of food, water and shelter inexcusable.
“A pit with dead bunnies was also discovered. We have alerted the media to this situation hoping that the owners of the bunny park are forced to take immediate action and rectify this terrible situation, as it is believed to have been happening for years.
“Unfortunately Kitty and Puppy Haven do not have the authority to take action against this place but we are trusting that the SPCA and NSPCA will investigate this issue thoroughly. We are more than happy to take some of these babies if we are given the green light,” the organisation posted on its Facebook page.
Benoni City Times reported, according to Martine Hampsen from Ban Animal Trading South Africa, she and a volunteer visited the Bunny Park on July 3 to assess the condition of the animals, after which she posted an article and pictures of the bunnies online. They tried to catch those bunnies with deformities to take them to the vet, said Hampsen.
“I didn’t see one healthy bunny in the park, each has some disease or deformity.”
Gideon Strydom, caretaker at the bunny park, told Benoni City Times they often brought in the SPCA or a vet to look at the bunnies. “There are so many bunnies and it is a huge park, to catch the sick ones would take more manpower, which we do not have,” he said.
Diane Wooldridge, vice-chairwoman of Benoni SPCA, said the bunny park was underfunded and the SPCA was concerned for the animals’ welfare.
Strydom said the park had to rely on the metro and donations for its funding, as there was no entrance fee to the park.
To read the full article on Benoni City Times, click here.
