UK’s 1.6 MILLION PET RABBITS FACING EARLY GRAVE

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 www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk

I don't even want to know the statistics for over here, i'm sure it's even worse.

Thanks for the info re RAW, and welcome to HH
Personally I would like to see the RWA and similar influential groups aggressively lobbying the RCVS and Government to make changes to the education of Rabbits at veterinary level. Whilst they may well be exotic animals, being clumped together in a general and very short training module that covers this entire group (I believe it's 2-3 weeks) only serves to instigate and perpetuate ignorance about rabbit care and welfare that should, as the third most popular mammalian pet, be far more prevalent and comprehensive.

Vets can take extra courses and attend conferences to give their practice an exotic animal accreditation, but this is not a requirement of them treating rabbits, and many are still ignorant to the full requirements and treatment of rabbits, hence we have a sub-section of 'bunny savvy' vets. If one of these vets lives in your area, all well and good, if not, then your bun may not receive the treatment it deserves and the owners may be given insufficient advice as to their care.
This can be demonstrated in the the recent case of the Cylap - the notes for which have been updated to warn that 50% of rabbits may suffer serious skin related side effects, yet most vets are unaware of this. The problems with Cylap have become so serious and widespread that the company making the Cylap vaccination are now meeting costs of care and medication required as a result of them.

I would also like to see similar aggressive lobbying of Government in respect of the Animal Welfare Act that at best would stop Rabbits being available as an impulse buy from pet shops, and at least prevent these animals from being being sold too young, before they can be clearly sexed, and without a legally required information pack, vaccinations, and information that promotes (or compels) neutering, to prevent unwanted rabbits, the detrimental health issues relating to uterine cancer and stress on the animals through hormonal frustration, possible aggression and ultimately leading to many rabbits either being re-homed or neglected and branded as aggressive and nasty.
I cannot understand why pet shops are allowed to sell things that are knowingly harmful to rabbits, and other animals, like sawdust and wood shaving for bedding, sweet treats, foods that (in the case of the rabbit) contain meat by products and eggs, for instance, and would like to see these products removed as part of Welfare legislation.

Whilst rabbit owners could be seen to be at fault over their ignorance, it is hardly surprising when the two points of contact that most new rabbit owners have is the pet store and the vet, both of whom are potentially ill informed, and in the case of pet stores, profiting from their mis-information and marketing of harmful goods.

I'm sure that many pet rabbit owners would not wish the life they have provided for their rabbit to be in complete contravention to their pets actual needs, and the RWA and similar organisations should be promoted heavily with the purchase of a rabbit. Whilst the RWA website is a brilliant resource, what is the point of all that information if people are not informed of its existence, or have barriers put in place to further information , for example, conference notes and monthly publications? These organisations should be funded so that membership is free; when money is a barrier to information, that information is less likely to be read.

So all we can do here is hope that new bunny owners think to look for more information and find the RWA and forums like HH where people who do want to provide an optimum level of care share their experience, knowledge and ideas to help other

So of course the Rabbit awareness week is valuable, but most likely only to people who who happen to take their rabbit to the vet that week and see the promotions. I would like to see all vets participating and sending out cards to all the bunny clients to inform them of the RAW. These cards are sent out to remind us of vaccinations, and we are told on them that it is 'in the best interests of our rabbit' and so is the RAW, and should be promoted with the same vigour.

Excellent info. Is there a link to this article?