UK’s 1.6 MILLION PET RABBITS FACING EARLY GRAVE

[MarkWoodcock]

The lives of pet rabbits in Britain, the UK’s third most popular pet, are being drastically cut short due to owners’ ignorance and misinformation, according to a survey* for Rabbit Awareness Week (26th April – 2nd May 2010).

Over 50% of respondents believe that the average rabbit lives for 3 – 4 years when in fact many have a potential lifespan of more than 12 years .

The survey revealed further widespread lack of knowledge about what pet rabbits need to live longer, healthier and happier lives. Almost half of the respondents believe that vegetables, fruit and carrots are the most important food for rabbits. Whilst a small daily amount of green veg is good, a diet based solely on vegetables, fruit and carrots does not provide all the nutrients that rabbits need, leaving them malnourished.

In addition, 71% didn’t know that fibre, in the form of hay and grass, is the most vital food for rabbits – it is essential for their digestive health – without it they can die.

More than 50% of those surveyed did not know that rabbits should be kept in pairs. Companionship is key to the welfare of rabbits – without the company of another neutered rabbit they get lonely and bored. In the wild, rabbits are social creatures , a fact that doesn’t change just because they are kept as pets.

Furthermore, the commitment of owning a pet rabbit doesn’t stop at correct feeding and housing; 90% of respondents didn’t know that owning a rabbit is likely to cost more than £3,000 over the course of its lifetime!

Sean Wensley, senior veterinary surgeon at the PDSA, comments: “Despite more than a million pet rabbits currently being kept across the country, the results of this survey add to our concerns that their welfare needs are sadly misunderstood.

“It is vital that owners understand the commitment involved in owning pet rabbits, both financially and in terms of the time taken to care for them properly. It is also essential that owners understand their rabbits’ welfare needs, including their need to be fed a suitable diet, to have a large hutch and exercise run, to have company and to receive appropriate health care, including vaccinations against deadly diseases.”

Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW), running 26th April – 2nd May 2010, aims to promote good rabbit health and wellbeing amongst owners of all ages. The focus of this year’s campaign is tackling rabbit obesity – an ever-increasing problem caused by poor diet and lack of exercise. Obesity is a serious issue for rabbits and can lead to a host of life-threatening health problems, including flystrike.

During RAW, participating veterinary practices nationwide will be holding FREE rabbit health checks. These health clinics are open to everyone and will provide practical advice on how to keep rabbits happy and healthy, including information about feeding, environment, vaccinations and husbandry.

To find participating veterinary practices in your area visit http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk

 

[jcottonl02]

MarkWoodcock wrote:

More than 50% of those surveyed did not know that rabbits should be kept in pairs. Companionship is key to the welfare of rabbits – without the company of another neutered rabbit they get lonely and bored. In the wild, rabbits are social creatures , a fact that doesn’t change just because they are kept as pets.

I have to say, I am not entirely sure I agree with this as a rule.
Rabbits are obviously very social animals, and many require the partnership of another. However, I do believe that rabbits are individuals, and many can live quite happily with just the companionship of their owner, if the owner provides enough attention and socialising (most of the day).
Some rabbits simply do not want another rabbit companion. I am sure there will be people on here that have rabbits they just cannot house with others. And I know there are many people here that only have one, very healthy and happy, rabbit.

I do believe though, that if you only get one rabbit, you should always be in the mind that you may have to bring another rabbit into your family one day, if your specific rabbit needs a companion of the same species, as many many rabbits will do.

Companionship IS the key to the welfare of rabbits, but I believe that sometimes this companionship can be fulfilled by their owner.

Thank you for bringing Rabbit Awareness Week to RO!

Jen

 

[Milly_Molly2]

To be honest, before i got my rabbits, i didn't know that rabbits ate hay. Now that I read that, I think how can you not know, it's the most important thing about rabbits, but people just need to research, research, research. i feel sorry for an awful lot of rabbits. If I say how big my hutch for my rabbits is, my friends think they should be in a 3ft hutch. but then as a child and on tv, pet shops, everywhere, hutches are 3 - 4ft long. how are the general public supposed to know any different? if pet shops sold 6ft hutches and stood them outside their shop, people would start realising that rabbits need large accommodation. if you haven't had a rabbit before, then you are not going to know an awful lot about them. we say to people, research, but to be honest, out of the millions of people in the country, who does research before buying a pet? hardly anyone, so people who buy them on impulse, go to the pet shop, buy the cheapest hutch and the cheapest rabbit and leave. that rabbit is then stuck in that hutch, on cr*p food, no hay for years of its life. no wonder so many rabbits die young.

we need to get pet shops to listen. it would be wonderful to get pet shops to stop selling rabbits, but realistically, it's not going to happen any time soon, so the best thing we can do is get pet shops to sell large hutches, like 6ft minimum, provide pellet food only, and give out loads of leaflets and information on how to properly care for rabbits. and they should vet each home they go to. but when it comes down to money and profit, what pet shop is going to do all these things? unless its law, pet shops aren't going to change.

I think that people should try to bond their rabbit to another as rabbits are very social animals, but i think everyone knows that some rabbits just will not bond to another, in which case the companionship with its owner is needed.

 

[jcottonl02]

I find it so hard to talk about this stuff. It's so so utterly infuriating, and makes me so angry.

SOMETHING needs to be done. And soon.

It's cruel to be ignorant, I believe. You get a pet, you research it thoroughly, and give the animal the best life you can.

End- of.

Jen:grumpy

 

[Luv4lionheads]

It's cruel to be ignorant, I believe. You get a pet, you research it thoroughly, and give the animal the best life you can.

I got Charlotte last summer. I was not planning on it. I was at a friend's cottage when one of my neighbors and one of my old friends text me "would you be interested in a very cute bunny wabbit for free. Well, I'm like "yeah!" So, seeing that I was 16 at the time, I called my Dad who said ask your mom who said it was fine, I got my first bunny.

And like Jen said, when you get a pet, you research how to care for it. I got out every book on rabbit care in my library, and read them through. Charlotte and I are best buddies, now. (ok it's one-sided. I am her slave )She's a happy and healthy bun who is very, very spoiled!!


ps. Also, everyone new I meet who hears about Charlotte always say, "What?! You keep her in the HOUSE????" It's pretty funny!!

 

[jcottonl02]

Thats kind the same with me. I never expected to get a bunny- I didn't realise what amazing animals they were, and tbh i didn't think my parents would ever let me get one (I was just turned 16 i think).
He was abandoned outside the vets I used to work at, and I just fell in love with him. And my parents said yes! He needed to stay another week at the vets to heal (he had been attacked), and so while I waited, I researched everything I possibly could. I got out every book in every library lol! Read every day, and researched the internet. And joined RO of course, as soon as I got him basically.
So when I took him home after work one evening at the vets- that magical magical evening, I felt I was thoroughly prepared to begin my bunny journey! Of course, I still had (and still do!) have plenty to learn, but I knew enough at the time to keep him very healthy, and very happy, and be a great bunny mummy

Jen

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

MarkWoodcock wrote:

The lives of pet rabbits in Britain, the UK’s third most popular pet, are being drastically cut short due to owners’ ignorance and misinformation, according to a survey* for Rabbit Awareness Week (26th April – 2nd May 2010).

Over 50% of respondents believe that the average rabbit lives for 3 – 4 years when in fact many have a potential lifespan of more than 12 years .

The survey revealed further widespread lack of knowledge about what pet rabbits need to live longer, healthier and happier lives. Almost half of the respondents believe that vegetables, fruit and carrots are the most important food for rabbits. Whilst a small daily amount of green veg is good, a diet based solely on vegetables, fruit and carrots does not provide all the nutrients that rabbits need, leaving them malnourished.

In addition, 71% didn’t know that fibre, in the form of hay and grass, is the most vital food for rabbits – it is essential for their digestive health – without it they can die.

More than 50% of those surveyed did not know that rabbits should be kept in pairs. Companionship is key to the welfare of rabbits – without the company of another neutered rabbit they get lonely and bored. In the wild, rabbits are social creatures , a fact that doesn’t change just because they are kept as pets.

Furthermore, the commitment of owning a pet rabbit doesn’t stop at correct feeding and housing; 90% of respondents didn’t know that owning a rabbit is likely to cost more than £3,000 over the course of its lifetime!

Sean Wensley, senior veterinary surgeon at the PDSA, comments: “Despite more than a million pet rabbits currently being kept across the country, the results of this survey add to our concerns that their welfare needs are sadly misunderstood.

“It is vital that owners understand the commitment involved in owning pet rabbits, both financially and in terms of the time taken to care for them properly. It is also essential that owners understand their rabbits’ welfare needs, including their need to be fed a suitable diet, to have a large hutch and exercise run, to have company and to receive appropriate health care, including vaccinations against deadly diseases.”

Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW), running 26th April – 2nd May 2010, aims to promote good rabbit health and wellbeing amongst owners of all ages. The focus of this year’s campaign is tackling rabbit obesity – an ever-increasing problem caused by poor diet and lack of exercise. Obesity is a serious issue for rabbits and can lead to a host of life-threatening health problems, including flystrike.

During RAW, participating veterinary practices nationwide will be holding FREE rabbit health checks. These health clinics are open to everyone and will provide practical advice on how to keep rabbits happy and healthy, including information about feeding, environment, vaccinations and husbandry.

To find participating veterinary practices in your area visit http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk

sadly,,as you stipulate,,improper diet nutritional standards,,result in a short lifespan.//.i cover this on my forum.//.non digestible fiber timothy/orchard grasses make up 70% of a rabbits daily diet,,a-small amount of digestible fiber,ie quality lowfat/pellets for vitamins,nutrition and fruit tree branches from the safe list for chewing and the gi tract,,small amount of safe list vegys or weeds,thats it.//.rabbits are consumate groomers and chewers,,their teeth constantly grow so the grasses are very needed to trim the teeth and keep the gitract running at optimum speed,,any disruption of this equation spells doom for the beloved rabbit,,but there are two groups/nondigestible vrs digestible fibers,,people love to watch rabbits eat so the little bellies fill up with soft pellts/over time the teeth grow at 3mm per week and in a short period of time we have created a can of worms,..in great brition you have to get jabs every 6 months or quarterly now,,there are known side affects from that.//.good exotic dvm,s are few and far between.//.mine is from london,and she is worth her weight in gold..and i have a referral from dr.carter to a not so bad dvm...sincerely james waller:thumbup--danger--per webster hay includes alfalfa which is in the clover family(not a grass)-to be fed as a small treat only

 

[RandomWiktor]

My mom has been in major denial over the fact that the rabbits she got me as childhood pets were not properly cared for. Back them,research wasn't as easy as a website, and frankly most of the rabbit care books back there were LOUSY and suggested just dumping pellets into your rabbit - which is just what we did. Occasionally she tries to argue against my rabbit care, arguing that we need to give more pellets or that they should get more carrots/fruit, etc. I always point out that none of our rabbits lived more than a handful of years. It's so sad that misinformation cost us so many of our childhood pets. This is why I came to RO; I don't want any more rabbits in my household to have their lives cropped short by ignorance.