Speeding Cyclist Almost Kills Pedestrian
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Day Around the Bay
![_Officer-Involved Fatal Shooting in Bayview [Updated]](http://sfist.com/assets_c/2011/07/bullet_casings-thumb-110x110-642500.jpg)
Officer-Involved Fatal Shooting in Bayview [Updated]
Sunday: Watch Women's World Cup Finals at Public House
SFist is going to take a bold stance and say that we feel cruelty to animals is wrong. And ever since reading Watership Down as a child, we have felt a special afinity to bunny rabbits. That might be one of the reasons we watched with such horror as this story unfolded. We first heard about this on the Craigslist pet forums, on which pictures were posted of a rabbit who had had a M-1000 firecracker taped to her, and then was thrown into a lake (don't worry, she's OK!). Someone on Craigslist found the site and, enraged, posted the pictures to draw attention to the crime.
The Richmond House Rabbit Society got wind of this, and convinced Alameda County prosecutors to press charges against the culprits, Nick Sigmon, an 18-year-old lifeguard at Lake Don Castro, and fellow lifeguard Paul Collins, 20.
There are a lot of upsetting aspects to Lucky the rabbit's abuse, not the least being the fact that the worst charges these two will face are misdemeanors, due to their lack of criminal history and the fact that Lucky managed to survive.
We are very happy that Lucky made it, though, and that she is now resting happily at the House Rabbit Society. You can visit her and many other rabbits who need homes at their center (phone is 510.970.7575) at 148 Broadway in Richmond. It's open from 12 to 5 p.m. each day except Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Once we quash our initial impulses toward animal abuse vigilantism, or to give up our high-paying and glamorous jobs for a career as Animal Cops, we realize that there are some things we can reasonably do. Along with the Richmond rabbit folks, you can volunteer with, donate to, or find a tiny friend at San Francisco Animal Care and Control - the only shelter in San Francisco that rescues and adopts rabbits and other small animals. They're at 1200 15th Street (at Harrison), and they're open every day from Noon to 6:00 p.m., or 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. You can call them at 415.554.6364. SFist has noted that due to the overwhelming workload ACC endures, sometimes their customer service skills are a little...rough. But everyone there loves animals and wants only the best for them.
The San Francisco/Marin House Rabbit Society works in partnership with several shelters to rescue rabbits and provide educational services (to humans) and adoption services (for the bunnies). They also give you contact information for the Alameda County DA's office so you can urge them to pursue harsher charges against Lucky's abusers.
Finally, SFist would like to point out that the reason this kind of thing happens is because some people don't seem to realize that animals are actual, living things, and not just objects or toys. We ask that you don't give animals as pets, and that if you do have a pet of your own, please take care of him or her - and if you can't or won't, please turn him or her over to a shelter so they can find a new home. No animal ever deserves cruelty or abuse.
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