Many pet rabbits worse off than battery rabbits

RWAF press release
http://www.pressdispensary.co.uk/releases/c992990/Many-Pet-Rabbits-Worse-Off-Than-Battery-Rabbits.php
Many Pet Rabbits Worse Off Than Battery Rabbits2011-05-03

A single rabbit lives alone in a small hutch
May 03, 2011, Press Dispensary. The British public has reacted with distaste to a recent spate of planning applications for battery rabbit meat farms*, where the animals are kept in tiny cages before being slaughtered for meat, but The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF - www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/ ) points out that thousands of domestic pet rabbits are kept in conditions that are as bad or even worse, than those proposed by the battery farms.

RWAF Chief Executive, Rae Todd, has this to say. “Many people have raised concerns over the planning applications for battery rabbit farms, with almost 1300 signatures being collected within 24 hours of a petition going live. Rabbit farms are outside of our charitable remit, but of course we hate to see any suffering in rabbits. There is however an ongoing, less obvious welfare problem facing domestic rabbits all over the UK: the countless pets living alone with no way to express their natural behaviours. We hope that when people think about the battery farming issue, that they also consider the suffering of solitary pet rabbits in cramped hutches.”

Thousands of pet rabbits live in hutches that are too small

Thousands of British pet rabbits spend their entire lives confined to hutches the same size , or smaller than, the DEFRA guidelines - which state that hutched meat rabbits should have a minimum space of 0.75m2. This equates to a hutch with a floor space of 4ft x 2ft, and as hutches this size or smaller are commonly available it will shock many rabbit owners to discover their own pet is in fact worse off than a battery rabbit.

“People need to decide for themselves whether to protest to their local council if they don’t want a rabbit battery farm in their locality,” said Rae Todd, “but The RWAF is encouraging people to take a look at their own rabbits’ accommodation, and to take quick action if the hutch is anything under 6 feet long, with an attached run of at least 8 feet. The RWAF website has great advice on creating the sort of accommodation that rabbits need to lead full and contented lives.”

www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/ahutchisnotenough.htm

I think it's a very valid point - whilst a lot of people are disgusted by the intensive farm idea, they may not realise that what they have in their garden is worse - except that the garden buns are unlikely to have their daylight hours, temperature and airflow controlled, and be fed solely on pellets designed to make them fat.

I think it's a bit odd that a lot of people who are outraged by the bunny farm will still feed rabbit products to their cats - which come from a bunny farm, and eat intensively farmed chicken, drink intensively produced milk etc.

If these places are repugnant for one animal, they are repugnant for all, IMO.

I completely agree Jay, I am disgusted by the thought of any animal being treated in this way.

The best way to make a difference is to make consumer choices. Check where your food comes from, and choose the ethical option.

I hope that the tide turns and if we can make a difference to one bunny, its a good start.