Town Vows to Confiscate Girl's Giant Pet Bunny

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Grand Master

Hum

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A 7-year-old Connecticut girl will lose her 20-pound pet rabbit if North Haven officials get their way.

Zoning Enforcement Officer Arthur Hausman issued a cease-and-desist order to the Lidsky family two weeks ago, informing them that they were violating town zoning regulations because their property was smaller than the 2 acres required to keep rabbits and other types of livestock.

More than 1,800 people have signed an online petition demanding that town officials allow Kayden Lidsky to keep the 3-year-old Flemish giant rabbit named Sandy. Kayden's father, Josh Lidsky, has vowed to appeal the order and is angered that town officials have upset his daughter.

"I don't want the bunny to go," Kayden Lidsky said, according to the petition on change.org.

"She's not a mean bunny," Kayden told WTIC-TV. "She doesn't bite people. She only licks." :huh:

North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda said town officials are not trying to take the bunny away from the girl, but are instead trying to get Josh Lidsky to respond to neighbors' complaints about blighted conditions on his property.

In May, town officials inspected the property and asked Lidsky to take several actions, including removing the rabbit hutch, replacing missing siding on his house and repairing an unfinished addition.

Lidsky says he's appealing Hausman's order about the rabbit to the town's Zoning Board of Appeals, but he's willing to clean up his yard.

lidsky_rabbit.jpg

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Grand Master

remixedcat

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Awwwwwwww what a cute bunny!

Whoever wants to take her bunny away has no soul.

this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this this !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grand Master

remixedcat

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Yeah, I'm sure that bunny is taking up so much space :rolleyes: Goofballs.

Probably some restaurant in this town that is overrun with rats -- go worry about that.

That would be the Golden Corral that's rat laden.

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Xoligy

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In May, town officials inspected the property and asked Lidsky to take several actions, including removing the rabbit hutch, replacing missing siding on his house and repairing an unfinished addition.

Seems to me the neighbours are just complaining about something to cause a fuss and make the owner tidy up and fix some things but are using the Rabbit as leverage, also if the rabbit didnt have a hutch wouldnt they say one was needed so it had shelter from the sun/rain and water that was in the shade? They obviously aint too smart in that town :/

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Grand Master

DocM

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Rabbits are classed as livestock? how absurd :/

If they're being raised as food, and rabbit is very tasty, they are livestock. This town apparently can't differentiate between food rabbits and the breeds used as pets they need some serious re-education.

Grand Master

Hell-In-A-Handbasket

Posted
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North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda said town officials are not trying to take the bunny away from the girl, but are instead trying to get Josh Lidsky to respond to neighbors' complaints about blighted conditions on his property.

In May, town officials inspected the property and asked Lidsky to take several actions, including removing the rabbit hutch, replacing missing siding on his house and repairing an unfinished addition.

Lidsky says he's appealing Hausman's order about the rabbit to the town's Zoning Board of Appeals, but he's willing to clean up his yard.

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apparently he didnt listen to all the other attempts for him to clean up his property

Grand Master

Hum

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If they're being raised as food, and rabbit is very tasty, they are livestock. This town apparently can't differentiate between food rabbits and the breeds used as pets they need some serious re-education.

Most any animal can be a pet -- all that is needed is mutual Love & respect. ;)

Grand Master

Growled Member

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If they're being raised as food, and rabbit is very tasty, they are livestock. This town apparently can't differentiate between food rabbits and the breeds used as pets they need some serious re-education.

That's what I was thinking. A big difference there.

Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

Posted
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North Haven to allow girl to keep Sandy the pet rabbit

NORTH HAVEN ? The national drama over a little girl, her pet rabbit and adult problems is hopping toward a happy ending.

First Selectman Michael J. Freda has decided that the Lidsky family won?t have to seek a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals and instead the town is working on a revision to a 42-year-old zoning regulation that bans rabbits from land that is less than 2 acres.

In late July, Zoning Enforcement Officer Arthur Hausman wrote to Joshua Lidsky, saying that having a rabbit on less than 2 acres was against zoning regulations. The Lidskys feared that the town would take 7-year-old Kayden?s rabbit from her, and a relative called News8. However, the letter from Hausman never said the 20-pound Flemish giant named Sandy had to go, just that Lidsky could appeal the cease and desist order.

By the next morning, the story went viral, and people all over the country were bombarding North Haven Town Hall with calls and emails, saying that the town and its officials were nasty and insensitive.

Freda and his assistant, Valerie Goodkin, went into defense mode and responded to more than 1,000 calls and emails, responding that the town didn?t want to take the 3-year-old bunny away from the girl. Freda spoke on CNN Headline News twice, and he and Josh Lidsky separately appeared on various radio and television spots.

Linda Thibault of Hopalong Hollow, a rabbit rescue agency in Norwalk, intervened and found someone to donate the $210 fee necessary for the Lidskys to take their appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

But after reflection, Freda said that he decided the ZBA airing was unnecessary. He said he wants to return the donation to Hopalong.

?After I thought about this, the correct approach is to try to change the antiquated ordinance so there?s no need to go for a ZBA waiver,? Freda said.

?We?re trying to simplify the process. Rather that require a waiver, we?re not going to take the rabbit away from the girl,? and the town will proceed to update the zoning regulation.

Freda said the regulation that prevents rabbits from being maintained on less than 2 acres dates back to 1960, when North Haven was a farming community.

?The ordinance was written to prevent rabbits from being bred to be sold,? he said.

Josh Lidsky called Freda on Wednesday to get clarification on what was happening and Freda said he assured him the bunny would get to stay at his home on Susan Lane.

Kayden said she feels good that Sandy is staying. ?I feel excited.?

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