Giant rabbits died on United Airlines aircraft may be due to stress

The giant rabbit that suddenly died in the cargo bay of United Airlines aircraft may be too stressed out by the sudden change in temperature and surrounding excitement.

United Airlines of the United States is considering a compensation scheme for the owner of the giant rabbit Simon, who died during a carrier flight from London to Chicago on April 25.

Simon Rabbit died on a flight from London to Chicago by United Airlines.(Photo: Caters News).

Annette Edwards, Simon's owner, said the one-meter-long rabbit was very healthy and agile before being loaded into the aircraft's cargo hold. It was also checked by a veterinarian right before the plane took off. However, upon arriving in the US, the rabbit was found dead in the compartment.

Rabbit experts suspect the cause of Simon's death comes from stressful conditions in the process of moving , according to National Geographic.

Although airlines often create the best conditions for animals in the cargo compartment, it is not always the case, according to Sandy Parshall, program manager for the Rabbit House, a nonprofit organization in California specializes in rescue and welfare for rabbits.

"The entire plane is pressurized, but not all are heated. The cargo compartment is still quite cold," said Parshall, who used to be a commercial airplane pilot.

Greater risks appear when animals wait for a long flight. When on the asphalt pavement and loading yard, the animal is easily stressed by the cold temperature or the hot heat coming out of the asphalt in the runway.

Darius Rabbit, Simon's father, is holding the world's largest title.

Anne Martin, executive director of the Rabbit Association, stressed that other stressors, such as noise or vibration, could also cause Simon's death."Rabbits are prey animals. Just barking dogs is enough to make them stressful to heart attack , " Martin said.

Both Parshall and Martin recommend keeping rabbits under the seat of the cabin or transporting them by other means such as cars. Breeding animals that possess special shape characteristics such as large size, often possess more genetic defects and this may make Simon more vulnerable.

Edwards said if he survived the flight, the 10-month-old rabbit could surpass his father to achieve the world's largest rabbit record.