Rabbit Who Was Taped to Explosives Adopted: Rabbit Rescue Group Finds Lucky a Loving Home

RICHMOND, Calif. (August 18, 2004) ... Lucky the rabbit gained national attention after being taped to explosives and thrown into an East Bay lake, and now the organization that rescued her is pleased to announce that she has found a permanent home. On July 13, a group of several East Bay young adults took Lucky to Lake Don Castro, where her "owner" then duct-taped her to an M-1000 before throwing her into the water. The explosives, equivalent to a quarter stick of dynamite, did not detonate. The group then retrieved her from the lake. Perhaps most shocking, the young people took her to the lake with the intent to blow her up and document the atrocity with a camera.

House Rabbit Society (HRS), a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Richmond, CA, alerted authorities and rescued Lucky after being alerted to the incident by an online posting containing shocking photos of Lucky, bedraggled and terrified. After providing her with medical and foster care for three weeks, the organization adopted her to an experienced rabbit guardian on August 14. Lucky now joins a loving family, including her new guardian and two other rabbits, with whom she has already bonded.

HRS Shelter Director Erin Williams stated, "While Lucky suffered a shocking act of sadistic cruelty, I am thrilled that she has recovered and has found a wonderful, permanent home. Lucky will never again be tortured, suffer, or feel terror. Instead, she will be surrounded by a loving family who will give her the care, compassion, and respect that she deserves for the rest of her life."

While Lucky is enjoying her new home, HRS intends to push for the maximum sentencing for the individuals responsible for this horrific act of cruelty. Williams continues, "Any act of cruelty is flatly unacceptable. The use of live explosives, and the fact that the individuals documented their actions with a camera, is incredibly disturbing. It is imperative that they receive the strictest possible sentence for this atrocity. These individuals pose a serious threat to other animals, and they must be held responsible."

Alameda County prosecutors have charged Lucky's previous "owner" Nick Sigmon and Paul Collins with misdemeanor animal cruelty. Sigmon and Collins face a pretrial hearing on September 27 and a maximum sentence of one year in county jail.

HRS is seeking donations for the care of rabbits like Lucky, as well as loving homes for other homeless rabbits. For more information about HRS and local chapters, please visit www.rabbit.org  For updates regarding this case, please check http://rabbit.org/rabbit-center/lucky_rescue.html

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