By CAITLIN LENG
Published: | Updated:
This is the moment two 'thieves' were caught on camera filming themselves grabbing a family's pet rabbit by the ears before making off with the animal.
The men, who are unknown, were caught on camera loitering outside the house - located on St Pauls Street in Hull, east Yorkshire - before cruelly snatching the rabbit, named Peter.
The first man, dressed in a black winter coat, is seen to bend down before picking Peter up by his ears, while the second man - wearing a leather jacket and black hat - jovially films his companion with the animal.
Peter, who is nine, appears to struggle against the first man while he dangles mid-air for over twenty seconds, before both men walk away with the animal in hand, laughing.
The incident, which occurred around 5.18pm on Saturday, October 17, was posted to social media by Peter's owner, Amy Grace, who was at the shops with her son at the time.
Ms Grace, 38, had left her daughter Faith, 15, at their home, and upon her return noticed Peter was missing. It was then she checked CCTV of her front garden - only to find her beloved pet rabbit being nabbed.
Two men were caught filming themselves grabbing Peter the rabbit from his family home - clutching him by his ears before making off with him
Peter appears to struggle against the first man, who dangles him mid-air by his ears for more than 20 seconds, while the second man films on
The men appear to be laughing while walking around with Peter by his ears
Both men are captured walking away with Peter in hand, laughing. The rabbit was later recovered dumped in a car park
Peter, who is nine, suffers from gut stasis and requires medication three times per day
Upon seeing the footage, Ms Grace - who has owned Peter for eight years - said all she could do 'was scream and cry'.
'I can't believe how cruel people can be to something so innocent,' the mother told HullLive.
Ms Grace said she and her children spent 'hours' searching for Peter to no avail, and presumed the animal dead.
Peter - who normally lives in the family's back garden - suffers from gut stasis and requires medication three times per day. He was left to free roam in the front garden, where he was snatched, due to work being completed in the back of the home.
In a post written to Facebook following Peter's disappearance, Ms Grace described her children as 'devastated' by the ordeal.
Captioning the video footage, she said: 'I want to know who the f*** these are that took my baby! Now!
'He is 9 years old and a bunny, he relies on medication and is extremely poorly at the moment with gut stasis, he needs finding ASAP if he is still alive.
'Is has always been free roaming, the pallet is in front of the gate to prevent people opening it! I hate living here now and want out of Hull! My children are devastated.'
Thankfully, Ms Grace confirmed in an update posted on Sunday that her pet had been found and since returned home.
She wrote that Peter had been 'dumped in a car park'.
She said: 'Peter was found dumped in a car park last night and a lovely kind stranger has messaged me with a video and I now have him home.
'He will be going to the vets to make sure everything is ok with him.'
Humberside Police has been contacted for a comment.