FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Weeks after a teen was charged with animal abuse, a new picture has surfaced on social media.
Neighbors and animal rights groups say it shows the same teen with another bunny, and now the mayor of Fernandina Beach is weighing in.
While what's shown in the picture is not against the law, the post is sparking outrage.
Mayor Johnny Miller said he has faith in local law enforcement to put restrictions in place for anyone who is shown on video abusing animals.
"On the record, my experience with local animal control and law enforcement officers gives me faith that anyone committing heinous acts of violence that appears on that video will be restricted from any contact with defenseless animals," Miller told Action News Jax.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said they were made aware of the picture, but aren’t looking into it because it doesn’t show anything illegal.
Neighbors and Jennifer Burns, with the Wildlife Rescue Coalition, said the teen in the picture is one of the teens who was charged with animal cruelty, and the teen is holding another bunny.
"It's just disappointing. It's sad for the animal and I feel like these girls are taking this whole situation like it’s a joke," Burns said.
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Action News Jax reported about the first video on May 28. That video shows three teens flinging a rabbit against a wall and then laughing.
The bunny in the video is now fully recovered at her new home at Southwest Florida House Rabbit Rescue in Naples and will be used when advocates talk with children about animal abuse and violence.
All three teens in the video have been charged with animal cruelty and are not being identified because of their age.
"I feel like our justice system is failing them if there is no stipulation in place that prohibits them to be around animals after the incident that already happened," Burns said.
Action News Jax law and safety expert Dale Carson said usually juveniles go through psychological evaluations.
"To have an actual prohibition against being around animals -- that would be pretty much unheard of," Carson said.
We went to the house where the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said the previous incident happened, and we found a notice on the front door from animal control stating an officer stopped by for questions Thursday morning. The officer said he can't comment about whether the questions are about the recent picture.
Burns said in her opinion, people who abuse animals should be put in a database and prohibited from owning animals, but according to Carson, there would be no way for law enforcement to fully monitor such a system.
Cox Media Group
