The police suspect that someone or a few have killed several rabbits at a 4H farm in Uppsala at the beginning of the year. The incidents are now being investigated as gross animal cruelty, and the farm has been forced to keep parts of the business closed to visitors. – It is a great sadness because these are animals that the staff meet every day, that they take care of and care for very much, says Ellen Johansson Wiss, regional consultant at 4H Uppsala. It was in mid-January that the staff at the 4H farm discovered that one of their rabbits had died. Initially, it was thought to be an accident, but after four more rabbits were found dead shortly afterwards, suspicions began to arise. – We know that there is a time gap around lunchtime as it has occurred on every occasion. Staff have been present at the farm, so it feels very uncomfortable, says Ellen Johansson Wiss. In connection with sounding the alarm about the inexplicable deaths, the police suspected that someone, or some, had killed the rabbits on purpose. Investigated as gross animal cruelty According to the autopsy reports, the rabbits must have died as a result of being exposed to blunt force, and the events are now being investigated as gross animal cruelty. The police are also anxious to find the perpetrator, or persons, because the violence against the rabbits has escalated after each incident. – If you focus on animals, you can also focus on people in the long run. We don’t know what it can lead to in the end, says Magnus Jansson Klarin, press spokesperson for police region Mitt, when the case was brought up in TV3’s Efterlyst. Concern for the business After the events, the 4H farm in Uppsala has been forced to keep parts of the business closed to the public. Ellen Johansson Wiss tells us that we are facing major challenges in terms of being able to guarantee the safety of the animals and at the same time being able to run the farm in the spirit for which it was meant. 4H is “nothing” if you can’t be open for visitors, she believes. – We think a lot about how the business should be able to continue in the direction in which we are to conduct 4H business, which is open and accessible. We feel a concern as we think about how we can do this in a good way going forward where it is safe and secure for our animals but where we can also achieve the purpose. Starting this week, they will test having some rabbit activities open, but then only with staff present. Hear more from Ellen Johansson Wiss in the player above.
t4-general
The suspicion: Rabbit killers spread terror on 4H farm – “Unpleasant”
