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Radio Boss Defends Killing Rabbit Live On Air

A Danish radio station boss has defended the killing of a baby rabbit during a live show, telling Sky News there is a "discrepancy" in how we care for different animals.

The Radio24syv presenter Asger Juhl was hosting a debate on animal welfare when he hit nine-week-old Allan three times with a bicycle pump, before wringing its neck.

The station has been criticised over the item, but Mr Juhl, 34, said it was to demonstrate the hypocrisy of animal rights campaigners who eat meat from supermarkets.

And the station's chief executive, Jorgen Ramskov, told Sky News: "We wanted to raise a discussion about why animal welfare is an issue for some animals but not for other animals.

"In Denmark, at least, we have a very industrialised agricultural industry and a lot of these animals in this sector are not basically viewed as animals, they're machines delivering meat to our tables and we don't really care about their animal welfare.

"We have some animals that we have decided that we care about their animal welfare and that discrepancy we wanted to address.

"The rabbit is something you can eat, but also an animal we care a lot about. Why don't we care for a piglet, why don't we care for a small cow, or lamb?"

He also insisted the radio had taken advice from experts on how to kill rabbit "instantly and in a way that the animal doesn't suffer".

"According to the person from the zoo, that's how you kill a rabbit," he said.

"I am sure there are other ways to kill rabbits."

He also said Mr Juhl was raised on a farm, and had previous experience of killing rabbits.

Linse Kessler, who had been part of an earlier discussion in the studio, talked her way back inside in a bid to save Allan but could not prevent the bunny's death.

On the radio's Facebook page, a video was posted of meat being cooked in a stew, with a comment from the station saying that Mr Juhl and co-host Kristoffer Eriksen would be eating the rabbit following its death.

There was also a sound recording of Allan's final moments.

The broadcast prompted an angry response from listeners, with some calling for a boycott of the station.

The radio station's spokesman said they had "anticipated strong reactions".

"We knew that we would be accused of provocation," he said.

"And yes, we indeed wanted to provoke the public and to stir a debate about the hypocrisy when it comes to perceptions of cruelty towards animals.

"Consumers generally do not kill animals themselves, but we buy and eat animals, that have lead sad lives. We just don’t see it, and don’t consider the animals ‘cute’ as the rabbit.

"These animals have often endured horrific suffering on their way to our dinner tables. These animals are killed according to the same controlled conditions as our studio rabbit, and without it invoking any strong reactions or calls for boycott.

"We at least believe that the studio rabbit have had a comfortable existence.

"We wanted to expose the vast hypocrisy surrounding our relationship with animals. So far we have succeeded. We wanted and want to have a debate about animal welfare - for all animals."