Nine-year-old boy who strangled nine rabbits to death at a zoo will not face criminal charges

He also killed two guinea pigs

The boy was left along with the animals at Rekerhout Petting Zoo in Alkmaar, Netherlands on March 11 when he murdered the rabbits.

Despite the outrage at the child's actions, he will not be facing criminal charges. This is because he is under 12 years old, but he will be enrolled into a care programme.

"I feel sorry for the animals, but also for the little boy who apparently feels so bad that he has to do this," psychiatrist Esther van Fenema said of the incident.

She added: "If you kill an animal in the house; explain to the child why. Even if it is an insect. So that it learns that you don’t wring the neck of a guinea pig, which is harmful."

The Mirror reports that the child had previously visited the petting zoo alongside a supervisor, but this time travelled by himself.

He is said to have shown "no emotion" while he murdered the animals.

"It makes you completely sick," manager of the zoo Ali Dorenbos told local media, via Metro.

She added that the larger animals have faced abuse in their time in the zoo.

"The sheep were shot with bows and arrows, their udders were pulled, and the goats were shaken by their horns," Dorenbos added.

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Image credit: Ciell/Wikimedia Commons, 4028mdk09/Wikimedia Commons