The RSPCA is marking International Rabbit Day 2023 with a plea for potential house owners to provide new houses for lots of of undesirable bunnies.
The animal charity’s centres are filled with deserted and undesirable pets given up by their house owners, with each the cost-of-living disaster and house owners turning into overwhelmed by pet overbreeding considered contributing to the issue.
RSPCA branches, together with the charity’s nationwide animal and wildlife centres are underneath strain as a result of rehoming charges have fallen in recent years, which has left them with many extra rabbits ready to start out new lives. The numbers of rabbits rehomed by branches dropped by 23% between 2019 and 2022 and there was a 42% fall in rehoming from the RSPCA’s nationwide animal centres throughout an identical interval.
Meanwhile, final yr there was an enormous 48% rise within the numbers of rabbits taken in by the charity, with 1,090 rabbits arriving at animal centres and 1,942 rescued by RSPCA branches.
Many RSPCA centres are actually full to capability and can’t accommodate any extra rabbits. Up to the top of July, 553 rabbits had been introduced into RSPCA nationwide animal centres and 153 wild rabbits arrived on the charity’s 4 wildlife centres.
International Rabbit Day, which takes place on Saturday (September 23), highlights the significance of constructing rabbits’ lives extra comfy by taking care of their welfare wants and creating appropriate environments to reside in.
It is vital that house owners present housing that meets their pets’ behavioural wants with sufficient house for shelter and to run round and train, whereas rabbits ought to get pleasure from enjoying with quite a lot of enrichment toys.
The promoting of missexed pairs has contributed to the issue of overbreeding and the RSPCA has advice for house owners about how one can head off numbers multiplying in hutches.
Dr Jane Tyson, the RSPCA’s rabbit welfare skilled, stated: “Rabbits can reproduce at a really young age and many individuals don’t realise rabbits can get pregnant once more inside simply a few hours of giving beginning. Unsuspecting house owners can shortly discover themselves turning into overwhelmed with animals.
“That is why it’s vital to accurately intercourse rabbits and get them neutered at an applicable age. We’d urge anybody not sure of the intercourse of their rabbits to speak to their vet for recommendation and likewise focus on neutering with them too.
“Our centres are full with unwanted rabbits as we have had a significant increase in our intake over the last year or two. For anyone who’s thinking about bringing rabbits into their lives, or are looking for a friend for their own rabbit, we’d encourage them to get in touch with their local RSPCA rescue centre and see if they can offer a loving home to some of our rabbits.”
The cost of dwelling disaster is without doubt one of the single largest challenges dealing with animal welfare. Unfortunately, the RSPCA is seeing the influence on the frontline – with reviews of deserted animals hovering as house owners resort to determined measures. The charity’s Animal Kindness Index discovered {that a} rising variety of persons are discovering holding pets costlier, and are anxious concerning the prices of feeding their animals – with 81% of pet house owners saying it’s costlier to take care of their pets.
In response, the RSPCA is working arduous to maintain pets in loving houses, and assist house owners. The charity has dedicated £1.5million of additional funding to disaster measures; launched a brand new Cost of Living Hub, a devoted phone helpline, and its pet meals financial institution partnerships proceed to go from power to power.
You can discover extra about how one can take care of rabbits on the RSPCA’s website.
