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RSPCA sees surge in pet rabbit cases
Last month, the RSPCA rescued seven rabbits abandoned in Manchester.

The charity took in more than 3,000 rabbits last year.

The RSPCA is calling on people to carefully consider whether they can commit to keeping pet rabbits, following a surge in case numbers.

Last year saw the number of rabbits arriving at RSPCA animal centres increase by 48 per cent compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 1,090. In addition, RSPCA branches provided help to 1,942 unwanted rabbits during 2022.

In some cases, overbreeding has caused problems, and so the RSPCA is calling on owners to neuter their rabbits to keep numbers at a manageable level. It is also advising people struggling to afford to keep their rabbits during the cost-of-living crisis to seek help.

Recently, on 20 April, an RSPCA officer rescued seven rabbits in Manchester which had been left in a cage and a cat carrier in an alleyway behind a house. The owners have not been traced, and after being vaccinated and undergoing health checks, the rabbits are being looked after at a private boarding home as they wait to be rehomed.

Animal rescue officer Lee Ferrans said: “Six of the rabbits were in one cage and there was another in a cat carrier. Neither the cage nor the carrier were large enough to accommodate them, although they probably hadn’t been living like that before they were abandoned.

“This is not an unusual job for our inspectors and animal rescue officers at the moment - I myself have dealt with three or four rabbit abandonments in recent months.”

Cases of pets being abandoned are continuing to rise. In April 2023, the RSPCA received 1,508 reports about an animal being abandoned, compared to 1,370 reports during the same month in the previous year: an increase of 9.6 per cent.

Mr Ferrans added: “People think it’s easy to look after rabbits, but there’s a lot more work involved. It may be the case that this large number of rabbits has proved to be too much for someone after they started off with just a couple.

“People need to neuter their rabbits and they also need to research what it takes to look after them properly before they take up ownership.”

 

Image (C) RSPCA

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.