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Rabbit Death: Petition Calls For DJ's Sacking

More than 15,000 people have signed a petition calling for the dismissal of a Danish radio DJ who killed a baby rabbit during a live programme.

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

Although the station has insisted the item was to demonstrate the hypocrisy of meat-eating animal rights campaigners, the broadcast prompted an angry response.

David Lewis, who runs a house rabbit awareness campaign, decided to launch a petition on Change.org in reaction to the stunt.

He wrote: "While we are all for having discussions on animal welfare – a subject we feel very strongly about – I think we can all agree there are much better ways to do this than by killing a poor, defenceless nine-week-old baby rabbit.

"There is only one action, and that is to dismiss Asger Juhl and the radio station's MD, who sanctioned the kill."

Mr Lewis told Sky News that although he does not necessarily disagree with the presenter's viewpoint, he felt "the way they went about it was completely wrong".

He claimed that if the host of a British breakfast show had killed a dog on live radio, there would be similar outrage – and the presenter would probably have to resign afterwards.

"This should absolutely be no different," Mr Lewis added. "He could have claimed he killed the rabbit, got a response, and then said 'we weren't actually stupid enough to do it'."

The campaigner also criticised "keyboard warriors" who had threatened violence towards the presenter or other members of staff at the radio station, warning "it ruined the argument when people start being nasty".

Hundreds of people have left one-star reviews on the Facebook page of Radio24syv, which broadcasts from Copenhagen, in anger at the station's conduct – with several making threats towards the presenter responsible.

One person condemned the company for its "absolute disgraceful, inhumane behaviour", while another accused it of producing "cheap and sadistic entertainment".

As the controversy unfolded online, Mr Juhl tweeted: "I killed a rabbit. It didn't suffer. I ate it. Why is that wrong? Simple question, can you answer?"

According to the station, the rabbit was skinned and cooked in a stew after the broadcast.