(AU) Animals killed in SA zoo break-in/ Pet rabbits slaughtered in Tasmania

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Animals killed in zoo break-in

South Australia

14jun02

 

SIXTEEN guinea pigs have been found dead following a break-in at the

Adelaide Zoo.

 

The zoo said post-mortem results had confirmed the injuries were consistent

with being hit with an instrument, kicked or trodden on.

 

The children's zoo area of the Adelaide Zoo was broken into sometime between

4.30pm (CST) yesterday and 8am (CST) today.

 

As well as the dead animals, guinea pigs had been stolen, police said.

 

The zoo's life sciences manager Mark Craig said staff were upset at the

discovery.

 

" This is a most stressful and horrific act of animal cruelty, " Mr Craig

said.

 

" It's as if someone breaks into your own home and kills your most loved

pets. "

 

In a similar event in 1985, all animals in the children's zoo were found

slaughtered.

 

Police were appealing to the public for any information regarding the

break-in.

 

AAP

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This story appeared in the Sunday Newspaper, in Hobart,Tasmania, Australia.

Couple shocked by brutal slaying of pet rabbits

By CHARLES WATERHOUSE

09jun02

WHILE Cheryl-Lee McLean was sleeping on Friday night, one of her pet

rabbits was clubbed to death in her back yard and another was killed

outside her bedroom window.

 

She believes the horrific attack at her home in Russell Rd, Claremont

occurred between 2am and 3am yesterday when neighbours' dogs started

barking.

Bedding material in one hutch containing some baby rabbits was set

alight

killing all of the three-day-old pets.

 

Their mother was found dead hanging over one side of a fish tank outside

Mrs McLean's bedroom window.

 

A brown and white female rabbit, due to give birth in about a week is

missing.

 

Rabbits were attacked in two of three hutches -- the offenders

apparently

unable to break the difficult latch on the third hutch.

 

Mrs McLean, 28, and her husband Mark were unaware of the senseless

attack.

 

" I found one of my rabbits dead in the middle of the back yard with

blood

coming from its mouth -- it had been slaughtered, " she said.

 

" The one which had its back smashed on the fish tank was less than a

foot

from where I sleep.

 

" The babies have burned to death. "

 

Mrs McLean will now keep the two five-month-old rabbits and a baby in

the

hutch which was not raided safely inside her home.

 

RSPCA chief inspector Graeme Lewis said the killings were a senseless

act.

 

" The worrying fact is such people usually move on to different, bigger

things, " he said.

 

" I wouldn't be surprised if it was kids, like young blokes with nothing

to do, wanting to big note themselves.

 

" It's not a common occurrence, thank God. "

 

He said anyone with information should call police or the RSPCA animal

cruelty line on 1300 139 947.

 

Mrs McLean said her father Wayne Randall, who operates a photographic

business in Claremont Village Shopping Centre, was offering a reward.