When a car crashed through a garden fence in the southern Swedish town of Skurup on Friday evening the family presumed that the driver had made a getaway as the car appeared empty.
But on the back seat lay the canine culprits at the root of the drama.
Curled up together on the back seat were found a Miniature Schnauzer and a Chinese Crested scared out of their modestly proportioned wits.
“The dogs had presumably managed to knock the gear box and put the car into neutral on a downhill slope while their owners were paying a visit to friends,” said Calle Persson at Skåne police.
No casualties resulted from the unfortunate crash – neither human nor canine.
Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.
Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.
But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.
Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.
“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.
“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.
Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.
Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.
“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.
Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.
Animal rights groups denounced the operation.
The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.
“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.
The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.
The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.
In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.
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