Authorities said the man, Dorian Mendoza, picked up the 4-month-old rabbit named 'Bunny' and threw it against the wall, killing it.
Mendoza was in the midst of an argument with his girlfriend. He had bought his daughter the rabbit a few weeks ago, according to the Tulare County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies arrested him for animal cruelty.
He also had an unrelated active arrest warrant for possessing a sawed-off shotgun.