Charities announce strategy for rabbit welfare
RWAF have called rabbits 'the nation's most misunderstood pet'.
Animal welfare charities have called on organisations to ‘work together’, as they release their strategy for improving rabbit welfare.
The Rabbit Welfare Strategy has been developed by the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) and the RSPCA to address common health and welfare problems.
The strategy provides a ten-point action plan, designed to support organisations with improving the wellbeing of rabbits and considering their five welfare needs. It also hopes to balance demand and supply, and reduce the strain on rescue facilities.
The plan calls for further study into rabbit needs, and a communication of evidence-based findings and consensus expert opinion to rabbit owners and breeders.
The charities also want to encourage retailers to offer welfare-compatible products and advice. They say retailers should be trained to provide optimal advice on meeting rabbit welfare needs.
Organisations are asked to work together to overcome emerging welfare problems, and to encourage the development of appropriate secondary legislation, such as Codes of Practice.
RWAF have called rabbits ‘the nation’s most understood pets’. It says that many pet rabbits are still being housed singly, with unsuitable housing or diets.
In 2020, rabbits were the third most popular pet in the UK.
However, research conducted by the PDSA in 2011 described rabbits as the most neglected species compared to dogs and cats.
Richard Saunders, a vet specialist advisor at RWAF, said: “Rabbits are the third most commonly kept mammalian pet, and yet one of the most neglected companion animals in the UK. We hope that this rabbit strategy gives a clear roadmap for how their care and welfare can be improved over the short- and long-term future.
“We are extremely grateful to all the organisations and other stakeholders who have been involved in this document, and who have committed to taking positive action for rabbits.”
The ten-point strategy plan can be found here.
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Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
