Two weeks ago, Dunedin was once again the scene of brutal animal violence. This time the victim was Dorian the rabbit. CCTV footage showed a man dressed all in black and wearing a beanie and gloves walking back and forth past the rabbit’s residence, a student flat on Arthur Street. Finally the stranger climbed the fence, grabbed the rabbit and took off.
In a horrifying twist, once the man was further down the road he proceeded to smash Dorian against the neighbour’s garden wall. He then threw the carcass several metres into the air and over a neighbour’s fence.
Shannen Lo, one of the flatmates who bought Dorian just three months ago, is distraught. “Our reaction was initially of shock at the brutality, tears for Dorian’s undeserved killing and anger at the sicko for taking Dorian from us so viciously.” Dorian’s hutch was secured in the front yard of the property. The man had trashed the hutch and the rest of the front yard in order to catch the rabbit.
The flatmates, who were inside building a new hutch for Dorian’s offspring, rushed outside after hearing the rabbit’s screams. They searched the yard, thinking Dorian had been attacked by a cat or been caught in the fence attempting to escape. After searching for a while, a neighbour said that they had seen a man dressed in black acting suspiciously. They showed the flat the CCTV footage they had of Dorian’s kidnapping and murder.
“The video was creepy and heartbreaking,” Lo said. “We found Dorian’s body the next morning and took pictures to update the police. He didn’t deserve it. The viciousness of the abuse and attack destroyed his defenseless little body.” The offender has been described as “more than 6 feet, about 180 to 190cm and medium-athletic build with dark hair.”
The police are looking into the footage and are urgently searching for the killer, although there are few leads. The footage is now on YouTube. If anyone recognises the man, they are urged to contact the Dunedin Police.
The killing continues a stream of animal abuse in Dunedin. Two teenagers admitted last week to the brutal killing of Larry the lamb, and Critic reported earlier this year on a number of cat hangings.
“The killer was seen. He will be found, and while I wish he would be treated in the same manner that came so easily to him, the most we can hope is that Karma’s a bitch,” Lo said.
Dorian Joins Larry in Animal Heaven
