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Vets raise concern about lonely pet rabbits
Lonely rabbit in a cage
Being kept on their own causes rabbits to experience frustration, fear and boredom.

BVA survey reveals that one in five British vets are concerned about rabbits kept as pets

One in five veterinary surgeons in Britain are concerned about rabbits being kept as pets, a survey by the BVA has revealed.

In the Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey, companion animal vets were asked about what types of pets the general public should be discouraged from keeping.

Rabbits were high on the list, with 22 per cent of respondents saying that people should be discouraged from keeping rabbits unless they can be properly looked after. 

The overwhelming message from veterinary surgeons is that while many people think rabbits are easy to look after and make ideal pets for children, they can have complex needs.

Many of the respondents expressed concern about single rabbits kept in hutches by themselves. Rabbits are social creatures and need contact with their own kind.

Being kept on their own causes rabbits to experience frustration, fear and boredom. Some of the comments included:

“Rabbits should not be solitary animals left in the hutch 23 hours a day.”

“Rabbits often get forgotten and are kept as single pets.”


“Rabbits are often bought for children who grow bored of them – rabbits can live for a very long time in a small hutch and often get quite neglected.”

A report released recently by the PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) emphasises how serious and widespread the problem is, reporting that in 2013, 65 per cent of pet rabbits were living alone.

Respondents to the veterinary profession survey also remarked that poor husbandry and poor diets were the most commonly seen problems. One vet commented:

"Many rabbits have poor husbandry, nutrition and clinical care. The traditional hutch does not meet their physical, social or environmental needs."

Reflecting on the results of the survey Robin Hargreaves, outgoing BVA president and small animal vet, said:  “Pet owners, particularly parents trying to buy a suitable pet for their child, have the very best intentions. But I would urge them to stop, think and ask before purchasing any animal, and give careful consideration to their ability to fully provide for its welfare needs as well as the child’s relationship with the animal.  

"Do your research first – ask your vet and read through helpful documents such as the Animal Welfare Foundation’s free Caring For Rabbits leaflet."

The Animal Welfare Foundation's Caring for Rabbits leaflet is free to download at: http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/pet-care-advice/rabbits

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.