All 7 baby rabbits abandoned at Seletar roadside die despite rescue efforts

All seven kits among the 23 rabbits rescued in Seletar have died, said animal welfare group Voices For Animals (VFA) on Sep. 25, The Straits Times reported.

Mothership previously reported that four of the 23 rabbits had died as at Sep. 22, days after they were found abandoned along a road in the Seletar Farmway area on Sep. 18.

Kits' condition deteriorated despite care

Despite VFA's efforts to provide warmth, care and medical attention since the Sep. 18 rescue, the condition of the kits, or baby rabbits, gradually deteriorated, said VFA president Derrick Tan.

He shared with ST that sadly, they began losing the kits one by one, with one or two dying each day.

The condition of the 16 adult rabbits recovered from the site is generally stable, Tan said.

One of the adult female rabbits gave birth to three kits during a veterinary examination.

Two of the newborns were delivered without a heartbeat, and vets were unable to revive them despite immediately attempting resuscitation, he said.

The last surviving newborn kit is still alive as of Sep. 26 and is being closely monitored.

Found abandoned on Sep. 18

The rabbits were found abandoned on Sep. 18 evening and were eventually taken in by animal welfare organisation Voices For Animals.

They were first discovered by an eyewitness in the Seletar area, who said that they saw the rabbits hopping around the area.

The eyewitness also said he saw a vehicle leave, with the person in the vehicle telling him that he could have the rabbits if he wanted.

Overgrown nails, wounds

A total of 23 rabbits, comprising 16 adults and seven kits, were found, VFA founder Derrick Tan previously told Mothership.

The rabbits were assessed medically by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), VFA and veterinarians from The Animal Doctors on Sep. 21.

They were found with health issues, including overgrown nails and skin conditions, Jessica Kwok, NParks' group director for enforcement and investigation, said.

Some also had wounds.

Kits were in "critical condition"

The adult rabbits were provided with the necessary medications with care instructions issued by AVS and The Animal Doctors Singapore (TAD) according to Tan's recount to ST, but the kits were found wet and cold, and in a much more critical condition.

“These losses have been extremely difficult for everyone involved," Tan said.

"While we were able to recover the rabbits from the site, the condition in which the young kits were found meant that some were already extremely vulnerable by the time they came into our care."

Top image via Derrick Tan/Instagram, Voices For Animals/Facebook