Did United Lock the World’s Biggest Rabbit in a Freezer For Hours and Then Cremate It Without Permission?

In the aftermath of the death of a rabbit expected to become the world’s largest in the hands of United Airlines (bred by a former Playboy Bunny), United told employees to tell customers who asked that the rabbit’s breeder didn’t want an examination to determine the cause of death.

United’s story is being… disputed.

An attorney for the rabbit’s owners says that:

  1. United locked the rabbit in a freezer on arrival in Chicago and left it there for hours.

  2. United had the rabbit cremated without permission preventing an autopsy.

At least one airline employee has reportedly said that Simon may have been inadvertently locked in a freezer for up to 16 hours after arriving in Chicago.

Additionally, the rabbit was cremated by United following its death, making an autopsy to determine what exactly happened impossible, Cook said. That action by the airline was tantamount to “destroying evidence” in the case, he said. The airline cremated the remains without the permission of the ownership group, he said.

Simon the rabbit was expected to compete for the title of biggest rabbit in the Iowa State Fair.


Copyright: photobac / 123RF Stock Photo

I certainly don’t want to trust my pet to United considering the recent story of a dog who died in their care. It makes me sympathetic to owners who claim their pets are emotional support animals so they can have their pet in cabin instead of shipping them as cargo.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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  1. Seriously how incompetent are these employees? You would think united would have gotten its act together. Why are all these animals dying in its care? Wtf is the rabbit being locked in a freezer and then cremated.

  2. Cremated, eh? Under the broiler for 10 minutes or so? Before breaking it down and placing into an enameled cast iron with a mirepoix and some stock?

  3. READY.

    AIM

    FIRE

    “Yaaaaayyyyyyyyyy, we shot ourselves in the foot AGAIN!!!!!!!” United Employee Number 1

    “What now?” United Employee Number 2

    “RELOAD and shot at the other foot” Anthony Munoz

  4. There are rumors that a video will be released shortly showing the rabbit being dragged down the aisle, to make room Mike Flynn.

  5. I’ve seen this headline several times and seriously can’t help laughing. So far several times. On the scale of problems in the world this stupid rabbit doesn’t make it to the scale.

    But it’s an awfully funny headline!

  6. My grandmother is rolling over in her grave right now. Who would cremate a rabbit when they can be deep fried like chicken? mmmm mmm good.

    When grandma Agnes raised rabbit to eat we were not told until years latter that the chicken was not chicken.

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