S’pore woman's pet rabbit dies after allegedly being held on back for over 20 minutes during home grooming session

A rabbit in Singapore died after a mobile grooming session at its owner’s home on Mar. 31, with the owner alleging it had been kept on its back for more than 20 minutes despite showing signs of distress.

The rabbit’s owner, Michiko, said she has submitted a report to the National Parks Board (NParks) and is awaiting further updates.

In response to queries, NParks confirmed it is looking into the matter.

“The National Parks Board (NParks) is aware of an incident involving a rabbit that allegedly died during a grooming session. We have reached out to the affected parties for information, and investigations are ongoing,” said Ms Jessica Kwok, Group Director of Enforcement & Investigation at NParks.

Owner says rabbit squealed repeatedly during grooming session and was pinned

According to Michiko, a senior groomer from Rabbit Headquarters (RHQ) arrived at around 1:20pm and began the session shortly after.

She said she had informed the groomer beforehand that her rabbit, Lucky, was “difficult to handle” and did not like being restrained.

During the grooming session, she checked in periodically while attending to other tasks nearby.

“I was not informed that he was in distress at any point,” she said.

Michiko later reviewed CCTV footage from her home and said it showed Lucky struggling while being held on its back.

She alleged that the rabbit remained in that position for over 20 minutes.

She added that the rabbit could be heard squealing repeatedly before becoming unresponsive.

Groomer allegedly suggested Lucky may have suffered heart attack

Michiko said she was confused when Lucky squealed and waited for the groomer to explain what was happening.

She initially thought the rabbit had been startled by the grooming.

According to Michiko, the groomer later said, “cannot, your bunny very stressed,” before adding that “he might have had a heart attack.”

She also said she was not informed earlier that Lucky had collapsed and become unresponsive.

According to Michiko, while she was searching for the contact details of the nearest emergency veterinary clinic, the groomer said he needed to call a colleague.

She added that the groomer later told the colleague that her rabbit “cannot make it (CMI), no heartbeat.”

Lucky was then transported to Westside Vet Emergency & Referral Hospital, where Michiko said she was informed by a veterinarian that it had no heartbeat.

She said no autopsy was conducted.

Owner says rabbit had been healthy prior to grooming

Michiko said Lucky was about 13 months old and had no known health issues prior to the incident.

“He was hopping around. There were no issues,” she said.

She added that Lucky had undergone a routine health check in February 2026.

CCTV footage captured squealing during restraint

CCTV footage shared by the owner on Instagram shows Lucky appearing to squeal during the grooming session while being restrained on its back.

Michiko alleged the rabbit was not released even after it began vocalising distress.

She added that the groomer was unable to put the rabbit down during the session.

According to Michiko, the company’s boss later told her there are cases where rabbits may fall during grooming, and the groomer had continued holding Lucky to prevent it from injuring itself.

She also said she was not advised at any point during the session to stop the grooming despite the rabbit struggling repeatedly before the squealing began.

“A senior groomer should be able to recognise clear signs of distress in a rabbit. In a critical situation, the priority should be immediate emergency response, not calling a colleague first,” she said.

Company covered cremation costs, says review underway

In response to queries, Rabbit Headquarters said it was “heartbroken” by the incident.

“The loss of Michiko’s rabbit during a grooming session with us on Mar. 31 is something we carry with deep grief,” the company said.

“RHQ was built by people who love rabbits. For over a decade, the animals in our care have not just been customers, they have been our community. That is why this has shaken us to our core.”

The company said it reached out to Michiko after the incident and covered cremation costs as a gesture of goodwill.

“We did this not because fault or liability has been established, but because it was the right thing to do as pet lovers and as a reasonable pet business,” it said.

RHQ added that it has begun a “full and thorough review and investigation” into the incident and is cooperating with relevant authorities.

“We are not approaching this review as a formality. We want to understand exactly what happened, and why it happened.”

“When that review is complete, we commit to sharing our findings and the steps we are taking, openly and honestly.”

Awareness

Michiko said she has submitted evidence to NParks and met with officers to provide her statement.

She added that the authorities are currently reviewing the matter.

“There needs to be accountability and awareness,” she said.

She also urged other rabbit owners to exercise caution when engaging home grooming services and to remain present where possible during handling sessions.

“I hope people will be more cautious about who they trust with their pets, even if the company is considered reputable,” she said.

Top image via Michiko