Rabbit rustlers hit farm for third time

SPRINGMOUNT, Ontario, June 2 (UPI) -- A Canadian man who runs a small rural rabbit farm in Ontario says he's going broke after rustlers broke into his barn for a third time this year.

Larry Byers told police in Springmount thieves took 77 rabbits, four bags of feed and nine transport cages late Saturday or early Sunday from his barn, which showed no sign of forced entry, the North Bay Nugget reported.

In January, thieves struck the barn twice in two days, but only took four rabbits the first night and 12 the second night, he said.

The first two thefts targeted show rabbits that were likely sold as pets, but the most recent theft was meat rabbits, Byers told the newspaper.

"The rabbits they took this time ... will be going to market in about 10 days," said Byers. "They are very close to market."

He said three hits in five months was too much, and he was winding the farm down.

"That bunch of rabbits that went out the door were going to get me even this year and I'm out about 700 bucks now," he said.