Bunny Bust: SPCA Raids Home, Confiscates 21 Malnourished Rabbits in Oakland

Bugs Bunny had it easy

​Animal officials stormed a Lake Merritt home in Oakland Tuesday night and scooped up 21 deformed and malnourished bunnies who were being prepped to be eaten. Now, they are looking to find these precious rabbits a new home after so much suffering, according to news reports.

Megan Webb, director of Oakland animal services, told the Chronicle that while it's legal to raise animals for food, the scene of malnourished and frightened bunnies clearly wasn't okay. "This blurs the lines for animal cruelty. When is it okay to raise something for food, and when is it cruelty?" she said.

Some animal-friendly neighbors tipped off the SPCA last week to the plethora of bunnies who were being caged in the common area of the apartment complex. They were packed into two crowded wire cages that were so small the animals were stacked upon one another.

When the animal organization found the rabbits, they had urine and feces on them, which had reportedly scalded their skin. The harsh owner fed them only on white rice, which  worsened their condition -- they had bloated bellies and malformed bones.

"The smell of urine was overwhelming. But what stays in my mind is how frantic they were," Webb told the Chron. "They were desperate for food and water."

The owner is being investigated. 

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