Florida man gets year in jail for setting rabbit's ears on fire Thumper the rabbit taken to Wildlife Center of Venice
Manasseh Walker and Thumper the rabbit. Images provided by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
SARASOTA, Fla. – A Florida man has been sentenced to a year in jail for intentionally setting a pet bunny on fire.
Local media outlets report that 23-year-old Manasseh Walker was sentenced earlier this week after a Sarasota County jury found him guilty of aggravated animal cruelty.
Authorities said Walker admitted to deputies last June that he had burned his girlfriend's rabbit, Thumper, but claimed it was an accident.
A veterinarian who examined Thumper said the animal's injuries weren't consistent with Walker's story. No one saw Walker set fire to the bunny, but witnesses said the man had claimed he was bitten by the rabbit moments earlier.
Thumper survived, but lost his ears. He now lives at the Wildlife Center of Venice.
Copyright 2017 by WKMG ClickOrlando. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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