EIGHT baby rabbits were condemned to death after being dumped outside on the doorstep of an animal sanctuary.

Whoever dumped the small animals at Hoppy’s Haven animal sanctuary, in Great Mongeham, near Deal, could not even be bothered to let the sanctuary know about the animals, or check that someone was in, before abandoning them.

The rabbits were discovered by Vic and Linzi Aubourg, who run the sanctuary. They believe the babies, who were only hours old, were left overnight with nothing more than a towel covering them.

Six were already dead and the Aubourgs immediately got the other two into an incubator, and began hand-feeding them, but despite their best efforts, they died over the weekend.

Mr Aubourg said "To just abandon them like this, without trying to contact us, gave them just the slimmest chance of survival. Removing baby rabbits from their mother is also one of the worst things that the owner could have done.

"Anyone who thought those rabbits could have a chance of survival must be insane and have no conscience about their animals.

"We have to try and get the message across that just dumping animals, or turning them out into fields is totally unacceptable."

He added: "If abandoning your pet really is the only option, and I don’t mean people who are bored of keeping them, then wherever you intend to leave it, they must let the occupants know it is there and make sure it is taken in."

Mr Aubourg said that had he and his wife had known about the baby rabbits, their incubator could have been warmed in advance and perhaps the helpless animals could have lived.

The sanctuary has also had to take in animals who are later discovered to be pregnant.

Mr Aubourg stressed: "The grief and workload of these mindless acts are simply intolerable and are placing a strain on us both."