Mumbai: Ex-cricketer Vinod Kambli gives up 5 rabbits to PETA after 1 falls to death from his Bandra building

Former cricketer Vinod Kambli has been caught out by a group of his pet rabbits. He recently gave them up, after one of them, a kitten (young one of a rabbit), fell from his fifth floor balcony and died. His neighbours had informed a volunteer of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, which is investigating the matter.

Kambli has given it in writing to PETA India that he is unable ‘to ensure the well-being of the animals and pledges never to keep them in his custody again.' The five rabbits, including a kitten (young one) are in care of PETA India.

One of the rescued rabbits; (right) the bunnies fell from the fifth floor residence of Vinod Kambli in this building

The incident took place on April 22 and he gave the animals to PETA India on April 24. Interestingly, April 24 is the birthday of Kambli's close friend, the illustrious former cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, a well-known animal lover.

Fell off balcony

Speaking to mid-day, Hiraj Laljani of PETA India said, "The incident occurred on April 22 at Kambli's fifth floor residence at Bandra West. We found there were six rabbits kept in the balcony. One of two kittens among them fell from the balcony and died. A resident from the housing society informed our volunteer, Shashikant Purohit, about this," PETA India Emergency Response Coordinator Sreekutty Bennet said, "We found that the rabbits were not being kept properly. They were caged in unclean conditions and some had lost their fur. Kambli admitted that he was unable to take care of them and gave us a letter handing them over to us."

Vinod Kambli, in the letter to PETA, India

Letter to PETA India

Kambli wrote in the letter, "I am voluntarily surrendering four adults and one baby rabbit in my custody today (April 24) to Sreekutty Bennet, Emergency Response Coordinator of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, due to my incapacity to look after the animals. I understand that I have failed to provide necessary care and medical assistance to the said animals. I am handing over the rabbits to PETA India for rehabilitation. I further confirm that I have voluntarily handed over the physical custody of all the rights of ownership of my four adults and one baby rabbit to PETA India on April 24. The said animals will belong to PETA India and the organisation will send him to any reputed sanctuary."

Bennet added, "Rabbits aren't just cute and fluffy - they are high-maintenance animals who require significant resources, attention, and veterinary care. Animals are often purchased from pet stores and breeders on impulse and soon discarded, kept chained, or confined for life to small cages or tanks. We ask everyone to refuse supporting the pet trade, which causes suffering to so many animals."

Despite the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which bans the trade and trapping of indigenous birds, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora black markets involving many species thrive openly, he said.