Instagram: theannadelveyInfluencer Anna Delvey is facing backlash after one of her team members dumped bunnies that were used in one of her photoshoots in a New York park, sparking efforts to rescue the critters.
Anna Delvey is an internet personality best known for pretending to be an heiress to gain access to elite and wealthy circles from 2013 – 2017. She was even the subject of a Netflix series titled ‘Inventing Anna,’ which released in 2022.
Since then, Delvey has garnered over one million followers on Instagram, where she posted a series of photos and videos posing alongside domesticated rabbits secured with leashes in August 2025.
Not long after the photos were posted, members of Facebook groups and Reddit circles local to New York sounded the alarm that pet rabbits had seemingly been abandoned in Brooklyn, NY’s Prospect Park.
Anna Delvey photoshoot bunnies rescued after being dumped in park
One Redditor claimed to have found two rabbits that looked similar to those used in Delvey’s recent photoshoots in the park, sharing pictures of the critters on social media.
The Redditor confirmed that they’d rescued two of the bunnies and had arranged for them to be fostered, alleging that Delvey had improperly handled the rabbits by holding them on their backs in a pose called “trancing,” which temporarily paralyzes them.
Other rescuers also chimed in on other social platforms, with one sharing screenshots that show Delvey allegedly threatening legal action against those accusing her of mistreating the bunnies.
“I will find and sue dimwits like yourself who simply refuse to accept that the bunnies that were borrowed from our shoot are safe at home with their owners,” she wrote.
Instagram: Anna Delvey, veganchaoAs of August 11, all three rabbits have been rescued, as shared by local rescuers on Instagram. However, Delvey’s claims about returning the bunnies to their “owners” have since been called into question due to a Facebook post from one of her team members.
Christian Batty, who was tagged in Delvey’s posts and credited as her source for getting the bunnies, admitted to dumping the animals in the park after they were suddenly thrust upon him once the shoot was over, causing him to panic.
“When I realized the rabbits were being surrendered to me, I panicked,” he explained. “At 19, with no experience caring for animals, no pet-friendly housing, and no knowledge of available resources, I felt overwhelmed and made the worst possible choice.
“Believing, mistakenly, that there were existing rabbits in that area, I released them there, thinking that was my best option. That belief was wrong, and I regret it deeply.”
Facebook: Christian Batty / Instagram: veganchaoHe went on to apologize for the ordeal and clarified that Delvey and others involved in the shoot had “no knowledge” of his actions at the time. He also thanked the bunnies’ rescuers and fosters for helping to give them a safe home.
Anna Delvey “appalled” after photoshoot bunnies dumped in park
Delvey also posted an apology via her Instagram stories, where she said she was “appalled” by the situation and said the “idea that someone would compromise the well-being of innocent animals for personal networking opportunities is deeply disturbing to me.”
“As an animal lover, I can promise I will never work with them again without knowing exactly where they came from and how they’re getting home,” she continued. “…I had no involvement in the acquisition, transport, or return of these animals. I would never condone these actions.”
Instagram: theannadelveyThus far, the internet’s ire against Delvey remains bitter, and animal rights activists continue to lobby for repercussions for the influencer who is currently on house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor.
