United Airlines Sued Over Death Of A Giant Rabbit

Three Iowa businessmen filed a lawsuit against United Airlines Wednesday over the death of a giant rabbit that was found dead in a kennel after a flight from London to Chicago, according to the Associated Press.

Mark Oman, Steve Bruere, and Duke Reichardt filed the lawsuit more than three months after United Airlines workers noticed the rabbit, named Simon, had died on April 20. The rabbit had sat in the cargo section of a Boeing 767 at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, expecting to board a connecting flight to Kansas City and where his new owners planned to retrieve him.

READ: Simon The Rabbit Update: United Claims Giant Bunny Died After Flight

The lawsuit requests punitive damages and $2,300, intended to supplement the cost and transportation of the continental rabbit, a breed that has a typical lifespan of four or five years. Guy Cook, the attorney for the three men, said Simon was purchased with the hopes of selling merchandise and displaying him during the Iowa State Fair.

The lawsuit accused United of negligence for improper care and transportation of the rabbit, and that the airline performed an improper cremation.

United released a statement: "We were saddened by Simon’s death in April. We have received this complaint and are currently reviewing it."

READ: United Airlines Rabbit Dies On Flight After Celebrity Bought World's Largest Bunny

Cook said Oman, Bruere and Reichardt never sought to personally benefit financially from Simon and that they intended to donate funds from the lawsuit to the Blue Ribbon Foundation, a state fair organization that supports maintenance of the Iowa fair.

"They’re frustrated with how United has handled this from the start," Cook told the AP.

The lawsuit looked to prove that United Airlines is notorious for poor storage and handling of animals and that the airline caused one-third of all animal fatalities among U.S. air travel over the past five years.

However, the lawsuit never explained how Simon died but provided numerous scenarios including fatally low temperatures during storage or that dry ice may have been near the animal.

When Cook suggested legal action in May, United spokesman Charles Hobart stated that the airline arrived at "a satisfactory resolution" with the rabbit’s British breeder.

Before the flight to the U.S., the lawsuit states that a veterinarian observed Simon, concluding he was in "good physical condition and fit to travel." There will be an autopsy conducted to determine Simon's cause of death, according to the Des Moines Register.

In April, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) pointed out that there have been numerous examples of animal deaths similar to Simon by airline carriers.

"More than 300 animals have died in cargo holds since 2005, including 74 on United flights. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the airline had the worst record of animal deaths and injuries among all U.S. airlines in 2016," a PETA blog post noted.

The lawsuit comes as United attempts to repair its reputation amid a series of events, including the forceful removal of a 69-year-old doctor from a plane at O'Hare.

United issued a statement last April regarding the incident with Dr. David Dao.

"We are pleased to report that United and Dr. Dao have reached an amicable resolution of the unfortunate incident that occurred aboard flight 3411," the statement read. "We look forward to implementing the improvements we have announced, which will put our customers at the center of everything we do."