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'Rabbit Rustlin' - Karen (24th Apr 2007 - 14:32:48) Has anyone else in Liphook been experiencing problems with bunnies mysteriously escaping from cages and then meeting a sticky end? We have managed to lose two in two weekends and the last one was found in a not too pretty state two doors down in very mysterious circumstances. My children are very upset (and I am pretty unhappy about it aswell) as we only had the last lovely, fluffy, grey one for one week exactly. Is this a problem anywhere else in the village or am I (and my neighbour) just unfortunate to have a fox nearby who has taken a course in lock picking? Would welcome any comments. Needless to say we won't be buying any more bunnies until we know more about this situation.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Sumi Beken (24th Apr 2007 - 16:11:12) Am sorry to hear about your situation and hope the children recover. It reminded me of a time when I was younger (1970's NW London) when we also had almost exactly the same thing happen to our rabbit. Our neighbourhood lost rabbits and small animals over a few weeks. The criminals were never caught - definitely the two-legged, no-brain, no-heart variety and not foxes. Heaven know why these people do such a thing but I thought that it was a one-off. We and our neighbours reported it to the police (good luck with that nowadays) - isn't our local officer holding regular surgeries at the haskell centre on wednesday nights?).

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Eneida (24th Apr 2007 - 17:50:48) Karen That's a truly appalling story!!! People who deliberately harm animals should not be tolerated in the village IMO!! I think you should contact the RSPCA and the local paper so that other people are aware there's a 'sicko' around. Eneida

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Dave L (24th Apr 2007 - 23:37:39) Hi Three weeks ago there was a commotion on London Rd, three yobs were hitting something in the road, I walked round to see what had been going on and found the remains of a blackbird beaten to death with a length of hosepipe. From the comments made it appears it didn't die quickly. ( its partner was singing well into the night). Liphook is not what it used to be, but I suppose they are somebody's little cherubs. Maybe the culprits? Dave L

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - mammal (25th Apr 2007 - 08:09:33) That is disgusting. I am sorry. It reminds me of the Old Lady who had a tortoise for nearly her entire life and it went missing presumably stolen. Very sad, you have to pity the miserable mental state of people that feel compelled to do these acts. (After giving them a bloody good beating of course.)

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - S (25th Apr 2007 - 08:37:37) We also found a rabbit that had met with an unsavoury end, but we blamed the cats although our cats are far too wimpy to take on a rabbit. We disposed of it, hope it wasn't someones pet.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - S (25th Apr 2007 - 09:05:23) Just a thought but is it possible that the london road incident wasn't as barbaric as it appears? Perhaps the bird had been hit by a car and the yoofs were putting the poor thing out of its misery as humanly as possible? I can't believe it would of been done for fun, why didnt the bird fly off to evade them? Perhaps I am just hoping that this isn't as Dave L writes it. I know that if I had seen it and it was then the piping would of had a fair bit of use on them too for sure.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Clive (25th Apr 2007 - 12:32:27) Moving back to the original message posted by Karen above, I found Karen's pet rabbit on my property 2 doors away on the Portsmouth Road. Part of my back garden includes a shallow bed of shingle surrounded by patio slabs. The rabbit's be-headed body had been buried and covered with the shingle, very neatly - unlike what I would expect a fox or cat to manage to do. We are regularly visited by cats in the area who like to deposit their last few meals for us and are accustomed to the obvious signs they normally leave. On this occasion, I would have to say it looked too neatly buried for a cat or fox to have done this. Also, and apologies to Karen for adding further detail, there was no sign of blood anywhere across my patio or in the shingle which an animal would have to have gone across unless it opened my gate! No tracable trail what so ever anywhere in my garden. So us residents in the Portsmouth Road area either have (1) a very clever wild animal who can not only pick locks (and open gates or possibly fly) and also very cleanly buries things and tidies up after itself or (2) we have a two legged form of species that for reasons unknown likes to trespass and kill pets and then dispose of the bodies in other people's gardens. Nice behaviour (?) from whichever of the 2 you wish to believe is responsible. I sincerely hope the culprit is the first of these 2 options.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - S (25th Apr 2007 - 14:18:12) The rabbit we had to dispose of was headless too.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Eneida (25th Apr 2007 - 14:30:23) It certainly doesn't sound like a fox or a cat to me....it seems much more likely that there is a very sick minded person/persons in the area!!! Have any of you informed the Police? If you haven't I certainly think you should do so ASAP. If it's someone who's mentally disturbed they won't stop at rabbits. Eneida

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Graham (25th Apr 2007 - 16:36:03) It could well be a cat...albeit a neat one....apparently rabbit brains to a cat are an Aphrodisiac!! Our cat brings them in daily (wild rabits I hasten to add) and disgusting I know, but he only ever eats the heads! Graham

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - marian (25th Apr 2007 - 16:56:23) Eneida Karen has informed the police on Monday and their response was that they would pass it on to the local office (presumably Whitehill?) but as yet we have heard nothing. We also lost our rabbit at the weekend and from the look of the hutch when I found it empty on Sunday morning - whatever, or whoever, removed him from his hutch, the shavings over the area around the hutch seemed to indicate a struggle. I only hope that if this is the work of some sick minded individual he/she realises that it's the children who are worst affected. My daughter was inconsolable for most of Sunday and although she is recovering slowly I hate to think that all this distress has been caused by the actions of thoughtless/mindless person/people from around this area. We moved to Liphook eight years ago to avoid this kind of thing. I really want to believe that this is the work of a fox/cat but it is becoming increasingly difficult to believe. s Whereabouts did you discover the rabbit you disposed of and was it anywhere near Portsmouth Road?

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Eneida (25th Apr 2007 - 18:39:37) Hi Marian, I'm so sorry you've also been a victim....I can imagine how distressing it is, especially for the children involved! I suppose, in a way, we would find it more acceptable if an animal is responsible. However, I've owned cats all my life and although some have certainly killed rabbits, I've never known any who've burried the remains....and as for foxes, well has anyone ever known a fox to neatly bury its victim? I hope the Liphook Herald takes up this story....then the Police might become interested!! Eneida

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - marian (25th Apr 2007 - 21:35:25) Eneida Thank you for your sympathy. Hopefully by airing these concerns on this website others who may have been similarly affected can come forward and we can get more of a picture of what is actually going on. Marian

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - S (26th Apr 2007 - 09:31:08) No Marian no where near the Portsmouth rd but near Old Thorns. The rabbit was I'm pretty sure a Wild one.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - JWM (26th Apr 2007 - 22:04:01) I am very sorry to hear about your rabbits and hope it is not a sick group of people. However there are a number of unpleasent teenagers who hang around Liphook and it wouldn't surprise me if they had anything to do with it and as much as these people spoil what was once a nice place to live I would think it is quite likely to be a fox.

Re: Rabbit Rustlin - j (28th Apr 2007 - 19:34:55) Hi This happened to my sister along time ago (over 20 years )when she lived in Headley Down, it wasn't her rabbit but the head was buried by her step. My mum was beside herself about it because she said it had a meaning i.e. some kind of ritual, however I am sorry to say I can' remember what. The programme Loose women covered this as at one time as Shane Richies ex wife one of Nolan sisters had a similar thing happen. It may not be the youth of our village but something a little more darker, I'm sorry I can't remember what the meaning is but someone out will know.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - j (28th Apr 2007 - 19:35:38) I think the sad fact is down to good old mother nature both my cats are wild and there has been many morning where I have found half eaten rabbits, mice even toads in my house gross as it is thats cats for you. If you look into something to much you can come to loads of different ideas as to how and why I just know from my situation and from what I have seen its been down to Tiddles and fluffy. However I am sorry to hear its causing distress and upset and hope the situation goes away. J

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - liz (28th Apr 2007 - 19:36:27) Not so much dark as idiotic. If you go on e-bay you can buy a 'buried head rabbit garden decoration' from the States. It wags its tail at you as you walk by apparently. I sincerely hope this is not what the morons are copying. Speaking of the youth of Liphook (was I?). Some of the cycling youth of Liphook have no concern for the elderly, or people with very young children (or,for that matter, anyone) if their escapades in Sainsbury's car park the other evening were anything to go by.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Gen (28th Apr 2007 - 22:26:58) Agree about the local yobs - at least the Sainsbury's car park is pretty near the Police station, fairly easy to pop in if there is a disturbance.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Eneida (29th Apr 2007 - 08:41:09) Police Station????? I wasn't aware we had one.....

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Candyfloss (30th Apr 2007 - 12:52:31) Gen There might be a sign 'Police Station' - but a far a I know it is unmanned most of the time. Certainly not in the evenings. I am sure someone told me it is only open a 'few afternoons' a week - no doubt on the window will be the times when an officer is available.

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - gen (2nd May 2007 - 16:08:59) Candyfloss Didn't realise it didn't open every day, how odd! Does it take turns with the library?

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Stephen (2nd May 2007 - 16:16:18) Does the Police Station only open on days with or withour crimes?

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Candyfloss (2nd May 2007 - 21:28:26) I should think crime is worked around their opening times - as that would be the easiest thing to do!!

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - Nicole (3rd May 2007 - 11:09:00) Does anyone know what the usual signs are that a rabbit has been caught by a fox or cat? Our rabbit went missing yesterday, I have looked every where and asked neighbours and all I can find is something witch looks as though it could possibly be her tail. But there is no sign of a struggle other that that and no blood or other remains. I'm guessing it must be a fox as all the usual cats who vist our garden get along well with the rabbit and can often be seen out sunbathing together. Plus whatever creature has done this would have had to carry a whole rabbit over a full sized garden fence to get out of our garden and I wouldn't imagin a cat would be strong enough. What do you think?

Re: 'Rabbit Rustlin' - karen (11th May 2007 - 19:14:07) Nicole, we found the tails separated from the two rabbits we lost in the garden. Is this what usually happens when a rabbit is killed by say a fox? Because again, other than a tail missing the first rabbit was actually completely unscathed. The second had lost its head. It took me several days to find the tail of the second rabbit we lost, but then stumbled across it outside our back door under some leaves. I am very confused now? And you have got me back to wondering if there isn't somebody up to no good???

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