The chaotic situation has brought Anna Delvey, often labeled as the “fake heiress,” back into the public eye.
This con artist turned model faced backlash from animal advocates after it came to light that several rabbits used during a photoshoot were abandoned in Prospect Park last week.
Activists quickly made the connection to Delvey, noting that she was sharing images from a shoot in Manhattan around the same time the bunnies were being rescued.
“These animals were left in the park to die shortly after this photo shoot. What’s alive isn’t a prop for your photos,” artist Alison Kuo remarked on one of Delvey’s Instagram posts.
Delvey, however, insisted she was unaware of the situation, telling a source, “I don’t eat meat. I had no part in getting these animals or transporting them. I would never support this.”
But Christian Baty, the 19-year-old assistant on the shoot, shared a different story. He admitted to feeling a surge of panic when he realized that the “props” were indeed living rabbits.
In a post shared on Delvey’s Instagram, Baty reflected, “At 19, I had no experience with animals and was overwhelmed. I thought letting them go was the best option, mistakenly believing there were other rabbits in the area. I regret that decision deeply.”
Three of the surrendered rabbits are now under the care of animal rescuer Terry Chao, who reported that one named Parker, a Harlequin lop, was rescued shortly after the situation unfolded.
Chao mentioned that she became aware of Delvey’s shoot through Baty, who had previously consulted her about lending a rabbit for their project.
As Baty and Chao worked together, they began piecing together evidence linking the bunnies to the photoshoot. “Their posts pushed us to investigate further, and eventually, Baty came with me to rescue Joaquin, a little grey rabbit.”
The rabbit trio was obtained from a local woman in Yonkers who was looking to abandon them in a Facebook group. Another rabbit, Benito, was borrowed from its owner, who had a similar experience with Delvey needing a bunny for the shoot.
Baty expressed that neither he nor Delvey knew about the rabbits’ abandonment prior to this incident.
Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, was previously convicted for a large-scale fraud scheme in 2022. She gained notoriety as the inspiration behind the Netflix series “Inventing Anna,” and she has maintained a significant following on social media.
Kathy Nizari, from an animal advocacy coalition, noted that this kind of abandonment is unfortunately common in Prospect Park. Rescue groups reported discovering at least six rabbits that had nothing to do with the Delvey shoot just last week.
“Such incidents usually involve pet owners, but it’s rare for photographers to be involved,” said Mary Beth Art, a local rescuer.
Edita Birnkrant, executive director of NYCLASS, urged Delvey to contribute financially to local animal rescue organizations, highlighting the burden these groups face in caring for abandoned animals.
“These groups invest significant resources to save animals left to suffer due to irresponsible actions,” Birnkrant said.
