Small animal rescues

Several years ago RWAF and Cottontails rescue undertook a joint survey to find the number of rabbits in rescue. The figure of 35,000 was reached and that has been in use ever since.

It's very much out of date and I am conducting a new survey to bring the figures up to date. It has only 4 questions and relates to the years 2008, 2009 and 2010.

The spreadsheet I have, while extensive, is out of date with many rescues of small furries having closed, many email addresses & phone numbers having changed, and of course new rescues aren't listed.


If you run or work for such a rescue and I haven't yet contacted you, would you email me, please, at ros@rabbitwelfare.co.uk and I'll send the survey to you to complete. This is all it consists of and estimates are okay, as we know finding exact records may be difficult (It's in the form of a table in the email but that won't reproduce here)

2008 2009 2010
How many rabbits were admitted during the year? (Including those held at foster carers)
How many rabbits were refused because of lack of capacity?
How many rabbits were euthanised because of ill health?
How many rabbits were rehomed?

All respondents will have access to the results once they are compiled, and they ought to be useful in trying to persuade the public not to impulse buy, and not to breed from their rabbits.

I hope to update this every year so that current figures are always available. The difference is that in future years, the answers will relate to one year only.

I know rescues are very busy and it's hard to find time to do things like this...and that every university seems to tell its students to do a survey, of which results are never seen!...but this is intended to be of use to us all, so please do try to take part.

Many thanks