WATCH: Horrific conditions at Bunny Park (WARNING: Graphic images)
MIDRAND - The Midrand-based, Kitty and Puppy Haven could be the catalyst for the rescue of hundreds of rabbits that were recently found in appalling conditions at Bunny Park in Benoni.
The park is a municipality-run entity under the care of Gideon Strybom. By the time of going to print, Strybom could not comment on the story. “I am on my way to the park,” he said.
“We are still busy with things, I will comment tomorrow [15 July].”
Samantha Berger, the haven’s manager, said they sent two of their own inspectors to the park after receiving an alarming phone call from one of the park visitors. “They saw a rabbit with a broken leg and the bone was sticking out.”
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Berger said the conditions her inspectors found were worse than what they had expected. “There were at least 18 dead bunnies in a pit,” she said.
“We are hoping that by bringing in a lot of media attention to this situation, something can be done.”
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Berger said a few animal rights organisations in the Benoni area had been notified on previous occasions by other visitors about the conditions, however, they did not result in any action, a claim which was confirmed by Benoni SPCA’s inspector, Solomon Mayisela. “We come to the park on a weekly basis, and [we have sent the municipality] a number of warnings about the living conditions of the animals at the park.”
Watch footage of the pit of dead animals:
Mayisela, claimed that the warnings have yielded very little response from the municipality. He also said that other inspectors who worked at the SPCA before he did, had also sent the municipality warnings. He could not, however, divulge the exact or approximate date of the initial warning.
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“I still need to take a look at my files, at the moment I’m onsite at the park,” he said. He said the investigation would take a whole day because of the weather. “It is winter, so the rabbits only come out of their holes when it is warm,” he said.
According to Berger, the rabbits are not the only animals living in appalling conditions. “Some of the cows [were so malnourished] that their ribs were sticking out,” she said.
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