Simon The Giant Rabbit‘s cause of death is to stay a mystery.
As we previously reported, United Airlines once again faced a bit of negative PR after a 10-month-old Continental Giant Rabbit died following a flight from London to Chicago. So sad.
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While it was first believed that Simon died in the cargo hold of a trans-continental United flight, a spokesperson for the airline defends the rabbit was alive upon landing in the Windy City. According to United rep Charles Hobart, the animal passed away in a pet holding facility at the airport. Is this their way of saying it isn’t their fault??
To make matters worse, Simon’s cause of death is to remain unsolved as Hobart noted:
“We won’t know the cause of death because we offered to perform a necropsy free of charge ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ that’s standard procedure ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ but the customer didn’t want us to perform a necropsy, and we understand.”
It’s said the rabbit’s breeder, named Annette Edwards, is currently fighting to get the body back from the States. Apparently, officials put Simon into a freezer following his untimely passing. What’s odd about this whole situation is that Annette had Simon examined by a vet prior to the flight and was dubbed “fit as a fiddle.”
Nonetheless, the airline has offered to compensate the 65-year-old breeder an undisclosed amount. Huh.
We’re sure the customer who had purchased Simon from Annette is heartbroken by the rabbit’s passing too. Reportedly, the giant rabbit was bought by a celebrity whom Miz Edwards has yet to identify. However, Bryan Bergdale of West Des Moines has since come forward and said he purchased the rabbit so that his boss could show off the animal at the Iowa State Fair. Hmmm, which celebs are from Iowa again? LOLz!
Still, our thoughts are with everyone affected by this loss. R.I.P. Simon.
[Image via Annette Edwards/Instagram.]