A New Zealand man who allegedly swung a live rabbit at pedestrians has pleaded not guilty in court to three charges.
The Crown alleges Graham Paul Brown swung the live rabbit by the ears at passers-by in downtown Auckland.
The 53-year-old appeared in Auckland District Court yesterday charged with animal cruelty, assaulting police and disorderly behaviour, NZPA reported.
Brown will reappear on May 10 for a status hearing after being remanded on bail yesterday.
Auckland SPCA inspector Vicki Border told reporters the rabbit, which they have named Larry, was stressed but appeared to have escaped injury.
Border said she believed the rabbit was somebody's pet and the Auckland SPCA had received a number of calls from members of the public claiming Larry was their rabbit, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Last week Border visited Brown, who told her he was on the way to setting the rabbit free near the Auckland waterfront after learning we was not allowed to keep pets in his Housing New Zealand apartment.
"He seemed really genuine," Border told the New Zealand Herald.
"He said, 'I know what I did was wrong. I did take care of him, I used to groom him. I don't know what came over me'. He did say sorry about the incident. I told him it was quite lucky Larry was all right."
Larry now has a new home in One Tree Hill with another rabbit for company.
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