Is it illegal to poison a pet rabbit ?

Photograph, don’t touch the evidence and call police and RSPCA right away.

That pen is amazing!

Try and resolve it with the neighbour first – ask him exactly what it is that he would like you to do about the situation.

Bollocks to that, anybody who tries to poison much loved pets can’t be reasoned with. Even if the rabbits were having all night raves, the neighbour had other avenues to explore before getting all Glenn Close on Flopsy and Mopsy. Environmental health, keeping a noise diary – you know, the things normal people do if they have issues with ‘noisy neighbours’.

As others have said, I’d contact the police or the RSPCA for advice (especially as he threatened to do it then tried to follow through with that threat), and make sure there are no gaps in the fence. You might want to consider covering the roof of the pen as well, in case he decides to start flinging the pellets over.

Sorry but a rabbit can’t make that much noise with mesh on a pen that size. If it was a small hutch with wooden framed mash door that it was banging then fair enough but not that. He is being unreasonable for the sake of it.

I would definitely go down the police route. If he is willing to push poison through then he has demonstrated a willingness to go further than most would.

Photos are very important IMO. Then report to the RSPCA. Good luck! Your neighbour is an absolute disgrace!!

Bombers. Take no prisoners.

I’d just like to point out that my post above does not imply that it the door was making more noise he would be justified in his actions, just that he may have cause for complaint, not death.

taka – Member
buy a cockerel

Nah, if you really want to do it properly, buy a peacock.

More seriously, RSPCA would be my first call.

Neighbours eh! 😈

Anyway, saw in the newspaper today that some animals have been poisoned on some estate somewhere, a few cats and 2 dogs have died as a result, police are asking for any info and making enquiries, but at the end of the article it did say that poisoning of animals and pets can constitute a criminal offence with six months imprisonment and/or a fine of £20,000 … might want to mention this to the neighbour

As said before, Go straight to the police. Your kids could be in hospital due to whatever your neighbour placed in your pen to kill the rabbits. It is that simple

Make neighbour stew

What’s the news, bru?

I think you’re both splitting hares

Poisoning rabbits makes Jinx very, very cross indeed………….

There are two possible options. Attempted criminal damage (I kid you not) or animal cruelty. Either way its illegal.

Pics of the noisy rabbits please mtqg 🙂

MTQG I hope you are trolling? 😉

Got to be one of the most upsetting things I have read on here, get your neighbour sectioned before he ends up on the front page of the tabloids!

@shackleton- jinx is very very very cute and ace! My guinea pig does the same now and then! Very funny!

solarpowered – yup, very cute, very friendly and very annoying when he digs the carpet up! Our guinea pigs are too lazy to jump anymore, they just stare bemusedly at a mental rabbit.

Hire a rabbit costume then smash his front door in with an axe and tell him to stop picking on your little brother.

Call the police and if they don’t do anything have a quiet “word” with him. Hard to believe what sort of low life would poison someone’s pet rabbit.

Enfht has the best idea so far. I doubt I would’ve kept my cool over this. Don’t get me wrong I hunt and eat rabbits but to try and kill a child’s pet!!!! Wtf is wrong with him. I would suggest knocking the door with EVERYONE you know stood politely at the curb and ask him why he is trying to kill your stepdaughters pets.

Well it took two pages, but finally we have an proper solution. Well done enfht 🙂

Hire a rabbit costume then smash his front door in with an axe and tell him to stop picking on your little brother.

Ever thought of removing the source of the problem – get rid of the rabbit?

Surely the source of problem is the neighbour. Getting rid of the neighbour would probably be illegal.

Ever thought of removing the source of the problem – get rid of the rabbit neighbour?

FIFY

Surely the source of problem is the neighbour.

Rabbit -> Pen -> Noise -> Upset Neighbour -> etc

Source of problem is the rabbit

Rabbit -> Pen -> Noise -> Upset Neighbour -> etc

Source of problem is the rabbit

Don’t be so ridiculous. My neighbour’s toilet annoys me when they flush it at 4 in the morning. Should they get rid of that?

Buy a drum kit
Practise in the garden

Ever thought of removing the source of the problem – get rid of the rabbit?

Hey Graham! Looks like your neighbour is on the forum!

I would suggest knocking the door with EVERYONE you know stood politely at the curb and ask him why he is trying to kill your stepdaughters pets.

Send the girls round to ask him why he tried to poison Mr Fwuffy.

As always an incisive post from Mrs T.

So what did the police say MTQG? After which I guess this thread will go quiet.

I watched that “Don’t Blame Facebook” show last night and there was a guy on there got done for eating a pet goldfish – I think he got a caution for it, so there is obviously a legal implication if any harm comes to an animal through a wilful and deliberate act.

Neighbour could, however, if confronted, say that the rat poison is intended for rats and deny all knowledge of the threat he issued….just saying.

Personally, I’d go for moving the rabbits out of harm’s way, in case he does start chucking pellets in the cage or something.

I don’t think anyone’s mentioned this yet, but any/all “formal” disputes with neighbours have to be declared when you come to sell your house.

And if it looks like your neighbour is an ar5e, then that won’t help with a potential house sale.

There isn’t a definition of formal, but I suspect that going to police would most definitely be considered “formal”.

Painful tho’ it may be, try to negotiate, try to accommodate. If that fails, the RSPCA are often prepared to take legal action and can be aggressive where necessary.

Police, much as it would be great to get them onto this guy, might perhaps be a last resort??

I’m sorry to say that police is the only resort.He needs astrong word at the least,locking up at the worst. Do you really think mr nutter will stop due to the RSPCA telling him? Of course not.

An update at last.

Firstly, i started typing a reply while at work, things suddenly got busy, so I shut my phone down, but somehow the unfinished reply got posted.

There is a step in ground level between the gardens. Its a 2m fence our side plus a 0.5m wall his side. He keeps his caravan by his side of the fence and there’s a high hedge at the front, so no one can see

…the rabbit pen unless they are really looking for it.

I’m stuck in the middle a bit here.
On the one side I’ve got Mrs MTG, who doesn’t want to make a fuss and have police cars parked outside.
On the other, I’ve got the police who don’t appear to think rat poison and children is very important.
I’m the only one who’s really pushing for action.

Several phone calls, both to and from the police, no visits, but it all seems to be over.
I’ve been reported for trespass and criminal damage. I don’t know what I’m supposed to have damaged, possibly the aerial lead to the caravan that I tripped over.
The community officer that I’ve spoken to on the phone was a bit evasive on details about what he’d said to the neighbour and was very non-committal on giving an opinion on anyone involved, which I suppose he has to be, but I got the impression that there is no chance whatsoever of following up on the trespass and damage claims, while the neighbour has had some sort of unofficial warning.

The view from next door.

You need to hire the A-Team!

And stop going over the fence – you’re only going to get caught.

Keep a diary and don’t speak to/avoid him.

Put a dead bird next to poison?

Sounds very stressy. I’m afraid I can’t offer either useful advice or witty remarks but I hope it works out ok.

have you tried the RSPCA yet? Let them push the police.

Forget the rabbits for a minute.

Your neighbour is putting poison within reach of your children.

I’d contact the police again with that information.