Rabbit's Death At Hands Of Brick Teen Under Investigation: Authorities

BRICK, NJ — Investigators with the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are looking into an incident last week where a teenager reportedly smashed rabbit with a brick and then skinned and dismembered it.

Brick Township police took a report on the incident, which happened June 8 in Maple Leaf Park. "We did take a report and it was forwarded to the SPCA to follow up," Brick Sgt. Neal Pedersen said.

A resident of the apartment complex told the Patch one teenage boy in the complex held the rabbit and smashed its legs with the brick, then hit it in the head. Once the animal was dead, the boy proceeded to skin the rabbit and dismember it, the resident said.

A photo posted to social media the day of the incident shows the dead rabbit, a cottontail, lying on a sidewalk and the boy skinning it. A small pile of fur is next to the rabbit, and other teens are standing around watching. In five short videos shared with the Patch, the boy is seen snapping the rabbit's legs to remove them, and then using a utility knife and then a carving knife to cut its head off, then holding the head up to show the others.

The resident said two children who witnessed the killing of the rabbit took video of the rabbit being dismembered and showed it to the resident, who then called police. The resident said the family has been harassed as a result.

"What do I get from opening my mouth? I walk outside and find rabbit legs by my door," the resident said.

"There should be a report with this kid's name," the resident said, "so at the very least, next time he does something, they will see his history."

"Maple Leaf isn't all bad, but it's kids like this that ruin it," the resident said.

A juvenile cottontail rabbit sitting in a pile of leaves. Photo by Karen Wall