Animal Watch
Heartache as yobs slaughter animals on town allotments
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| ATTACKED: Phillip Raper in his shed, which was set alight |
ALLOTMENT-HOLDERS have told of their heartache after yobs slaughtered dozens of chickens, rabbits and pigeons.
The vandals broke into Sugar Hill allotments, in the Cockerton area of Darlington, before they set their dogs on pet rabbits, shot pigeons and set fire to a shed containing three-day-old chicks.
Rabbit breeder Christopher Bromfield said the site had been targeted by vandals for more than a month, during which time almost 40 of his rabbits had been killed.
Mr Bromfield walked into his allotment on Thursday morning to find a trail of destruction.
He said: "There were rabbits everywhere. It makes me sick to the pit of my stomach. I cannot imagine why they did this. It is not sport, these rabbits are bred as pets and would just come up to you. They would not know what a dog is."
The rabbits had either been torn apart by dogs, decapitated or stamped to death.
Mr Bromfield, who sells his rabbits to local pet stores, said: "The amount of hours we put in down here, the rabbits become like family.
"When I came in and found that sight, it was soul-destroying. I do not know what they get out of it.
"It is just mindless violence."
The next day, a shed belonging to Phillip Raper was set fire to, killing 20 chicks and their mother.
Mr Raper, who sits up to 1am most nights trying to catch vandals, said he had seen gangs of youths loitering in the area with lurcher dogs, and shooting woodpigeons with air rifles.
He said: "This has hurt me. When I found the damage, I broke down and nearly cried. I just want them caught. They should be put away.
"They are running the streets, drinking and smoking their heads off, but nothing is being done."
Mr Raper called for extra security at the allotment site.
He said: "This place is like a shanty town. It should be bulldozed and built back up properly, with fencing and cameras."
Police are investigating both incidents, and last night confirmed they were examining a possible link between the two.
The RSPCA said neither incident had yet been reported to the charity.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 0845-60-60-365.
4:02am Saturday 8th March 2008
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