Thirteen bunnies 'left to die' by roadside in cardboard box in Co Armagh

Thirteen bunnies, including eleven babies, have been rescued after being 'left to die' by a roadside in Co Armagh.

They were found by a member of the public who was on a dog walk in the Green Road area of Camlough a few days after Christmas.

Some of the bunnies, which were furless, were less than six days old.

The Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) says it was 'shocked' at the discovery and condemned the actions of those who left the bunnies by the roadside.

The charity says the animals were in a state of 'sheer distress and freezing' and believe they would have died without the intervention from the public.

USPCA Chief Operating Officer, Colleen Tinnelly said: "We are horrified and appalled that someone abandoned these poor defenceless animals. They were essentially left to die at the roadside. The USPCA condemns the actions of the individual responsible for the abandonment.

"Once again, we have been reminded that there are cruel, heartless individuals out there who do not care for the welfare of their animals.

"We plea with the public to do their research before getting a pet to prevent cases like this happening. Each animal be it a dog, bunny or cat has its own set of needs and unless you can meet these needs and give the animal the best life possible, do not consider getting a pet.

"Thankfully, following examination from our veterinary team, the bunnies are in good health. However, this could have been a very different story if they had not been found and brought into our care.

"We commend and thank the member of the public for bringing them into our care, rather than leaving them to a slow and agonising death at the side of the road."

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