A HOMELESS man who rescued his pet rabbit from the river Liffey has been offered a job caring for animals in Co Tipperary.
John Byrne (38), who has spent the last 22 years living on the capital’s streets, became something of a celebrity after videos of his dramatic rescue of the rabbit, Barney, were posted on the internet.
He was yesterday presented with a compassionate citizen award by welfare charity Animal Rights Action Network (Aran).
He said he had been sitting on O’Connell Bridge about 10 days ago when a youth came along, grabbed Barney by the ears and flung him into the river.
He jumped in to rescue Barney, and subsequently they were both rescued from the bridge by the Dublin Fire Brigade.
Yesterday, Mr Byrne who is originally from Ballyfermot, was back on the bridge, this time surrounded by crowds – with many of those present bearing microphones and notebooks. There were also two television cameras.
Mr Byrne was presented with a framed scroll by Aran director John Carmody.
“As I watched the footage of this helpless man saving the life of a helpless animal, tears fell from my eyes and the footage sent a shiver down my spine for such a touching act of kindness,” said Mr Carmody.
The animal rights campaigner said he was hoping the attendant publicity would ensure that “within a few days” Mr Byrne would have a wall on which to hang his citation.
The award came with a supply of carrots for Barney and food for Mr Byrne’s Jack Russell-type terrier.
Mr Byrne said he had been told a farmer from Tipperary had already offered him a job working with animals, and this offered the possibility of gaining his own home.
He said he would be happy to consider the offer even though he had a girlfriend and three children living in Ballyfermot, and “Tipperary is a bit far”.
Mr Byrne said he had become homeless after domestic issues when he was a young man.
Being homeless was getting more difficult in recent years due to the weather and a shortage of hostel beds in the city, Mr Byrne remarked.
Con Darcy, a friend who was also homeless and who had given Mr Byrne a dry T-Shirt on the evening of the rescue, said the closure of a hostel on Charlemont Street and reductions in emergency accommodation in the city centre had added to the pressure on homeless people.
A Garda representative said a youth had been charged with cruelty to animals in connection with the incident and would appear in court in Dublin later this month.
