Shock at ‘barbaric’ and ‘horrific’ act sees wild rabbit tied to exploding rocket

A reward of £500 is being offered to anyone providing information that leads to the successful prosecution of the person or persons responsible for attaching a firework to a wild rabbit.

The rabbit carcass was discovered with a rocket attached to it in Newcastle, Co. Down on Tuesday morning.

The dead rabbit and the rocket.placeholder image
The dead rabbit and the rocket.

The reward is being put up by the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA).

“This is a horrific incident and we are appalled to see such barbaric abuse of our local wildlife,” said USPCA Chief Executive Brendan Mullan.

“We cannot comprehend the motives of the individuals who carry out such brutal attacks against vulnerable animals like this.

“Unfortunately this is a stark reminder of the many challenges we are facing with regards to animal welfare in Northern Ireland. We are encouraging anyone with information that may assist the PSNI in their investigation to contact them on the 101 number,” continued Brendan.

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