Danish radio station criticized after DJ kills rabbit live on air

A Danish radio station has been criticized for killing a baby rabbit during a live show in what the station’s owners say was an attempt to raise awareness of “the hypocrisy of animal welfare”. The Radio24syv presenter Asger Juhl was hosting a debate on animal welfare when he hit nine-week-old Allan with a bicycle pump. Mr Juhl, 34, carried out the killing, saying it was to demonstrate the hypocrisy of animal rights campaigners who eat meat from supermarkets. The rabbit reportedly twitched several times before quietly dying.

Our rabbit has had a good life, as a contrast to the way our industrialized agriculture treats animals every day.

Radio24syv statement

On the radio’s Facebook page, a video was posted of meat being fried, with a comment from the station saying that Mr Juhl and co-host Kristoffer Eriksen would be eating the rabbit following its death. The broadcast prompted an angry response from listeners, with some calling for a boycott of the station. Station managers said Allan has been slaughtered “to put the widespread hypocrisy in our relationship to animals to debate”. In a statement they said they had been aware the killing of Allan would “provoke reactions”, adding that he was killed “in a sound manner, in accordance with the very precise instruction, as a zookeeper gave us - so the rabbit did not suffer any harm”.

It is not our wish to offend anyone with this debate. And we regret that many people have misunderstood our message. But the hope is that this heated debate creates better conditions for animals in Danish agriculture.

Radio24syv

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