JOHN FALLIS FROM KING'S LYNN CONVICTED FOR FERRET ATTACK ON NEIGHBOUR'S RABBIT
John Fallis, born September 1983 and residing at 44 Church Close, Grimston, King's Lynn PE32 1BN, was convicted in 2025 of causing unnecessary suffering to a rabbit named Honey when he set his ferret on her, resulting in severe injuries.Fallis, who is a ferret breeder, was found guilty of this incident that took place on June 21, 2023, in the garden of his neighbor Amanda Fletcher's home.
It was established that Fallis deliberately dropped the ferret into Ms.
Fletcher's garden, fully aware that it could harm her pet rabbit.
The ferret attacked Honey, blinding her in one eye and inflicting other wounds.
Ms.
Fletcher recounted returning home that afternoon and seeing Honey in her run with a white ferret on top of her.
Her partner was able to catch the ferret in a cat carrier, while she took Honey indoors.
"I realised she’d got wounds all over her head," Ms.
Fletcher said.
"I wrapped her in a towel, grabbed some tissues and tried to stop the bleeding.
I thought she was going to die." Honey required the removal of one eye and treatment for her wounds by a veterinarian.
This was not Fallis’s first incident involving ferrets; in 2022, another of Ms.
Fletcher’s rabbits named Daisy was killed in a ferret attack.
Following the incident, the RSPCA issued him an advisory notice instructing him to keep his ferrets secure and prevent them from harming other animals.
Fallis, however, refused to communicate with the animal protection charity.
CCTV footage from Ms.
Fletcher’s property captured Fallis dropping the ferret into her garden.
During legal proceedings, his defense attorney, Andrew Cogan, stated that Fallis did not deny dropping the animal over the fence but believed he was returning a ferret that belonged to Ms.
Fletcher.
Fallis testified that he saw the ferret come from Ms.
Fletcher’s garden before it bit his dog and that he simply put it back where it came from, asserting, "It’s not my ferret.
Just because I’ve got ferrets doesn’t mean that’s my ferret." Cogan also argued that the case was based on assumptions and should not have been taken to court.
In the sentencing, Fallis was fined £461, ordered to pay a court charge of £184, and contribute £1,500 towards costs.
The court did not impose any animal prohibition order.
