Target: Jason Garza, Acting Chief Animal Services Officer, City of Austin, Texas
Goal: Thoroughly investigate widely reported allegations that an influencer’s rabbits were left without food, water, or clean bedding, and pursue all appropriate cruelty charges and animal-ownership restrictions if substantiated.
Reports from a highly publicized livestream dispute have ignited serious animal-welfare concerns: a well-known online personality is accused of allowing pet rabbits to go without food and water, leaving soiled bedding unchanged for weeks, and keeping them in mite-infested housing. Commenters claim some animals died, while others were said to be living in conditions described as “disgusting neglect.” These graphic allegations—circulating across social media, video clips, and creator commentary—paint a disturbing picture of small, fragile animals left to suffer behind the scenes of internet fame.
Additional posts from other creators purportedly corroborate aspects of the neglect narrative, while supporters counter that rabbits can succumb to stress and that the claims remain contested. Because the accounts include specific, troubling details—alleged deprivation of food and water, filthy enclosures, untreated parasites, and preventable deaths—swift, professional scrutiny is essential. Only a formal inquiry can determine what truly happened and whether criminal statutes were violated.
Local animal services are positioned to coordinate with law enforcement, veterinary experts, and any relevant witnesses to document conditions, obtain records, and verify the facts. If evidence confirms that rabbits were subjected to neglect or cruelty, authorities should file appropriate charges, seek a ban on owning or residing with animals, mandate counseling and education, and ensure surviving animals are safeguarded. Austin Animal Services is currently operating under acting leadership, underscoring the need for decisive, transparent action on high-profile cases that can set community standards.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Garza,
We are writing about widely reported allegations that a prominent online personality’s rabbits were left without food and water, confined to soiled bedding for extended periods, and kept in conditions rife with mites—circumstances that commenters say led to suffering and preventable deaths. These claims have circulated broadly through social media and creator commentary, with specific descriptions of deprivation and filth that warrant an immediate, professional response.
While some parties dispute elements of the story, the detailed nature of the allegations—lack of clean water and food, prolonged uncleaned enclosures, and untreated parasites—demands an official investigation. Rabbits are exceptionally vulnerable to stress, dehydration, and poor sanitation; if these reports are borne out, the animals involved may have endured extreme and unnecessary suffering.
We respectfully urge your office to coordinate with law enforcement and veterinarians to conduct a thorough inquiry. If the evidence supports the allegations, please pursue all appropriate animal-cruelty charges and penalties, including a prohibition on owning or residing with animals, mandated training and counseling, restitution for veterinary costs, and any other remedies that will prevent future harm. Clear, decisive action will help protect animals and reaffirm the community’s commitment to humane treatment.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Sami Abdullah
