Dortmund, Germany - German authorities are searching for a killer in what is being called one of the worst cases of animal cruelty in the country's history.
Since last year, more than 40 pet rabbits have been killed in the night in their outdoor hutches. Horrified owners found their beloved pets decapitated and drained of their blood in many cases. The killer takes the head and collects the blood, leading investigators to think that the animal killer is involved in the occult or Satanism.
In one instance, headless rabbits were found by school children in a sandbox on school property.
The killings that started last summer have been escalating. Reports say police think the killer or killers is using a satellite surveillance system, such as Google Earth, to locate homes with bunny hutches. They say he or she must have excellent knowledge of the area, as rabbit hutches are not readily visible from the road in most cases.
Police have interviewed 300 people, but told Sky News they still don't understand why anyone would want to commit this kind of crime, and they do not have any suspects.
Authorities have set up a special task force to solve the case. They are concerned that anyone who commits this kind of crime may move on to humans.
In the meantime, some rabbit owners are hiding their pets in the forest in hopes that the rabbit killer won't be able to find them. They are also locking the cages, just in case.