Target: Janelle P. Kendall, Stearns County, MN Attorney
Goal: Prosecute the man charged with stomping two emaciated pet rabbits to death — with fractured ribs, crushed jawbones, and perforated organs — to the fullest extent of the law.
A deeply disturbing case has emerged after two pet rabbits were reportedly found dead in a residence, with a necropsy confirming they had been stomped to death. According to a criminal complaint, the rabbits died from blunt force trauma to the head and chest, consistent with being stomped. The injuries reported were horrific — fractured ribs, a fractured lower jawbone, liver injury, and perforation of the stomach. It is alleged that one rabbit was underweight and the other emaciated at the time of death, and that the necropsy revealed evidence of prior injuries including rib fractures that had begun to heal before the fatal incident.
According to the criminal complaint, a witness called police after seeing a man throw the rabbits onto the living room floor. Officers say they arrived to find the man locked in the bathroom and the two rabbits dead in the living room. The man had reportedly purchased the two rabbits just months earlier, in September 2025. He has since been charged with two counts of mistreating animals by torture — charges that carry a potential penalty of up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine per count if convicted. The case comes amid a broader pattern of animal abuse in the state, with more than 2,000 animal abuse reports recorded in Minnesota since 2021.
The healing rib fractures reported during the necropsy suggest these animals may have suffered repeated abuse before their deaths. The Stearns County Attorney must pursue the maximum available sentence on both counts and ensure that the full weight of the evidence — including the documented history of prior injuries — is placed before the court.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Attorney Kendall,
We are writing in urgent response to a deeply disturbing case in which two pet rabbits were allegedly stomped to death by their owner, with a necropsy confirming blunt force trauma to the head and chest consistent with being stomped. The injuries reportedly documented were devastating — fractured ribs, a broken lower jawbone, liver damage, and a perforated stomach. Critically, it is alleged that both rabbits were in poor condition at the time of their deaths — one underweight, one emaciated — and the necropsy revealed evidence of prior rib fractures that had begun to heal, strongly suggesting the alleged abuse was ongoing rather than a single incident.
A man has been charged with two counts of mistreating animals by torture following this reported incident. We are deeply concerned that the penalties available — up to two years and a $5,000 fine per count — may not be pursued to their full extent without strong prosecutorial advocacy. The documented evidence of alleged prior abuse, combined with the severity of the fatal injuries, makes this one of the most serious animal torture cases reported in the region.
We respectfully demand that your office pursue the maximum available sentence on both counts and ensure that the court is made fully aware of the alleged pattern of prior abuse evidenced by the healing injuries found during the necropsy. These rabbits allegedly suffered not once but repeatedly at the hands of someone who was supposed to care for them. We ask that your office ensure their suffering is not minimized and that justice is fully served.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Mathias Appel
