An Oxford resident will have to appear in court to answer to a charge of animal cruelty for allegedly leaving a rabbit with no food or water.
According to Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen, on Sunday OPD was contacted by someone living at The Domain apartment complex about an animal that was not being taken care of.
“It slept on the back porch and obviously not being fed or given water or cleaned,” McCutchen said.
The city animal control officer and OPD interviewed the rabbit’s owner who was subsequently issued a citation for an animal confined without food and water, which falls under the state’s animal cruelty statute.
The rabbit was confined to a small garbage bin that hadn’t been cleaned, and there was no food or water in the container.
Since the charge is a misdemeanor, the person’s name was not released by OPD. They will have to appear in court as the citation is considered a noncustodial arrest. The suspect could face up to six months in the Lafayette County Detention Center and/or a $1,000 fine.
McCutchen said the rabbit was turned over to the care of the animal control officer, who could not be reached Wednesday morning for an update on the bunny’s condition.
