Dead rabbit could be latest victim of 'Croydon cat killer'

Teddy the Rabbit was found dismembered in his cage
Snarl
Alexandra Richards4 November 2017
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A dead rabbit could be the latest victim of the "Croydon cat killer", an animal charity has claimed.

Teddy the rabbit was found dead in his cage by his owner who lives in Harpenden, Hertfordshire.

Snarl is currently investigating hundreds of violent UK cat and rabbit deaths and believe that Teddy was a victim of the same killer.

The rabbit’s owner who asked to remain anonymous told the BBC that it was beyond comprehension" that "someone, somehow, climbed into our high-walled garden, killed and mutilated him and left him next to my daughter's little pink Wendy house for us to find".

Hertfordshire Police were looking into whether the rabbit’s death was related to the investigation into the cat killer.

Last week the police said that they believed that a cat who was murdered in Potter’s Bar was linked to the “Croydon cat killer” as the cat shared similar injuries with other animals that had been killed.

Tony Jenkin’s head of Snarl, told the BBC that approximately 250 cats and a number of foxes and rabbits had been killed since October 2015.

Police believe the "Croydon cat killer" may be responsible for Teddy's death (Snarl)

He said that he believes that the same person referred to as the “UK animal killer” is responsible for all the deaths.

"We see no evidence there's anyone else involved as the injuries are being replicated," he said.

"It is possible - both geographically and because of the timings - for one person to be doing this.

"This person is a very clever psychopath, he is forensically aware, avoids CCTV and might well travel as part of his job.

"It is most likely Teddy was killed by this same person."

Operation Takahe was launched by the Met Police to investigate the animal deaths last month. Some of the corpses have been examined at the new forensic lab in Surrey to look for evidence that the deaths are linked.

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