RSPCA opens probe into 24 dead rabbits suspended outside school and children’s football club

Alaric Whitcombe10 May 2026

Twenty-four dead rabbits hanging from trees near a school and football pitch in South Yorkshire

Twenty-four dead rabbits were found hanging in trees near a school and children’s football club in South Yorkshire, prompting a joint investigation by the RSPCA and police into the circumstances and motive behind the killings.

The grim discovery was first made by a passer-by on 7 April near St Joseph’s Junior Football Club in Rawmarsh, close to Rawmarsh Community School. Three more carcasses were found four days later, and the following week a further twenty rabbits were discovered in the same area between 10 and 12 April. Animal Rescue Officer Mark Richardson said the animals appeared to have been intentionally shot, with police now examining potential firearms offences.

“We now believe the poor rabbits have been shot and the police will be looking into any firearms offences which may have been committed,” Richardson said. “This has been really distressing for passers-by to come across this awful scene on two separate occasions. We have no idea why so many bodies were thrown in the trees, but we find this behaviour very disturbing.”

Investigation and Motive

The RSPCA and South Yorkshire Police are liaising closely to identify who carried out the killings and why. An RSPCA spokesperson confirmed that “a further 20 rabbits have now been reported to have been found between April 10 and April 12 in similar circumstances, and the RSPCA is now liaising with South Yorkshire Police over the incident.” The motive remains unknown, though one speculative theory suggests the rabbits may have been hung to lure birds of prey – a practice that would still be illegal if firearms were used unlawfully.

Under UK law, rabbits can be shot on one’s own land year-round (except Christmas Day) provided the shooter holds the correct firearm licence and landowner permission. However, the disposal of the bodies in trees near a school and a children’s football club has heightened concern. The lack of CCTV in the affected area has hampered the investigation, with investigators relying on members of the public to come forward.

An RSPCA officer examining rabbit carcasses found in woodland near Rawmarsh Community School

Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity or has relevant information is urged to contact South Yorkshire Police on 101 or the RSPCA’s charity appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

Wider Pattern of Animal Cruelty

This incident is the latest in a troubling series of animal cruelty cases in South Yorkshire. Between 2020 and 2024, the county saw a 158% increase in reports of animal beatings during the summer months, rising from 53 to 137 reports – placing it sixth in England and Wales. In October 2023, a Sheffield woman was banned from owning animals for ten years after leaving her dogs and cats to starve. In April 2025, a multi-agency operation involving South Yorkshire Police, the RSPCA and Doncaster City Council rescued more than 80 animals from deplorable conditions in Tickhill. Just this February, a Sheffield couple was sentenced for keeping dogs in appalling conditions and allegedly using them for illegal wildlife hunting.

Illegal hunting practices remain a focus for authorities. South Yorkshire Police have issued guidance noting that it is illegal to hunt hares and rabbits using dogs (with limited exemptions), to hunt without landowner permission, or to hunt on moorland or unenclosed land out of season. The Grove and Rufford Hunt, active in the region, has previously been linked to incidents involving illegal quad bikes and is under scrutiny by the Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs group.

Separately, a similar discovery was made in March 2024, when seven dead and decaying rabbits were found in an alleyway near Footscray Meadows and St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School in Sidcup, south-east London. Three wild rabbits were spotted initially, with a further four creatures found in a blue plastic bag. RSPCA Inspector Harriet Daliday, who investigated at the time, said the rabbits had been dead for some time and that she “sincerely hoped” none of the school’s pupils had stumbled across the scene. The cause of death and reason for their placement there were never determined.