RSPCA staff believe the rabbit was taken and locked in the post box as part of a cruel prank.
A frightened rabbit was discovered locked inside a Royal Mail post box after it was stolen from a garden hutch.
The scared pet was found sitting on top of a pile of letters inside the post box in Maltby, South Yorkshire.
A stunned postman made the surprise discovery on Saturday morning during the final collection of the week.
RSPCA staff managed to track down the rabbit’s owner after several members of the public offered to rehome the pet.
A spokesperson for the animal welfare charity said it would have been impossible for the rabbit to climb into the post box on its own.
“Fortunately the rabbit was fine and had no injuries despite its ordeal,” they explained.
“We managed to trace the owner who said that the rabbit had been taken from its hutch in her garden.
“Clearly this was a silly prank that could have resulted in the rabbit being seriously hurt.”
The picture has prompted outrage on social media, with one user commenting: “How utterly disgusting! There really are some horrible people about!”
A spokesperson for the Royal Mail said: “It was certainly an unusual incident and we are just glad that the rabbit was fine and is now in safe hands.”
