Dog owners warned after rabbits killed

Jodi Hawira's rabbit hutch is empty after her two beloved rabbits were killed, she believes by dogs. Photo/Bevan Conley

All that remains of Jodi Hawira's beloved pet rabbits are photos and an empty hutch.

The hutch still sits in Ms Hawira's back garden, bearing scars from the two dogs that Ms Hawira believes broke in and killed her rabbits, Cotton and Bud.

Ms Hawira's youngest child, 7-year-old Jordan, made the discovery when he went outside last Sunday morning to play.

"He came back in after about two minutes saying, 'Mum, Cotton's asleep on the lawn, but I don't think she's really asleep'."

Ms Hawira found Cotton, a grey giant lop-ear, dead while Bud, a black giant lop-ear, was dead in a corner of her hutch.

The hutch had been chewed at one end and ripped apart at the other.

Ms Hawira said she and her three children were so distraught by the discovery that a neighbour thought something awful was happening and called the police.

Ms Hawira believes two rottweilers that live in her neighbourhood were responsible. They had been seen the night before in her street, including in a neighbour's garden at 1am.

"She went out to close the gate and keep the dogs in until the morning so she could call the pound, but when they saw her, they took off."

Ms Hawira is grateful at least that the rabbits weren't mauled. They had clear puncture wounds all over their bodies but were not bleeding.

The family took the rabbits' bodies to Ms Hawira's grandmother's house where they were buried with a little ceremony.

They have no intention of getting new rabbits.

"Not until we can get our own place and make it really secure."

And she has a message for all dog owners.

"Please make sure your dogs are kept on your property.

"I know people love their dogs, but they shouldn't be able to wander the streets," Ms Hawira said.