Thousands of Rabbits face a lifetime of loneliness

A report from the PDSA about rabbits is sadly true from my experience. I think that we all have a responsibility when we share our lives with ‘any’ animal. Surely we should ensure that we provide the best housing, food and veterinary care that we are able. To see these beautiful creatures kept in conditions where they can’t run and jump is truly heart-breaking.

While many of us may have struggled with isolation during lockdown, sadly hundreds of thousands of rabbits face a lifetime of endless isolation and loneliness says leading veterinary charity PDSA.

 The charity is raising awareness of the plight our cotton-tailed companions suffer during Rabbit Awareness Week (which started on 10 August) when animal charities and organisations come together in a bid to address the rabbit welfare crisis.

 Despite being incredibly social animals, PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report found that shockingly half (49%) of all UK rabbits live alone (equating to around 440,000 rabbits) and a quarter (25%, around 230,000 rabbits) are kept in inadequate housing conditions, such as cramped hutches.

PDSA Vet Lynne James said:  “Worryingly, PDSA’s Report also found that over a 24-hour period, rabbits spend an average of 11 hours inside their hutch. Sadly, one-in-ten (10%) rabbits don’t have a run, living their lives in a hutch, and a further one-in-ten (11%) rabbits don’t even have enough room in their runs to hop*.

 “During lockdown, many of us will have experienced feelings of isolation, boredom and loneliness. But while we can begin to ease out of lockdown into a new kind of normality, our PAW Report findings show the sad reality that thousands of rabbits will continue to face perpetual confinement, enduring inadequate spaces and a lack of companionship, which can cause immense suffering. Our research shows that 98% of rabbit owners said that their pet was loved, so it may be that most of the time owners are misunderstanding their pets’ needs as opposed to any intentional mistreatment.

“Rabbits are very social animals and need another cotton-tailed friend to be happy so it’s incredibly concerning that 65% of owners disagree that their rabbit is lonely. Rabbits should always be homed with one other carefully introduced bunny in a large enriching space. Whether they're kept inside or outdoors, the more space you can give your rabbits, the better! Your rabbits' homes should provide more than enough room for them to lie down, stretch out, stand on their back legs without their ears touching the top and should be long enough for them have a little sprint. It’s never too late to improve the quality of life for the nation’s rabbits – there is plenty of advice out there, including on PDSA’s website, or speak to your vet for guidance.”

 During Rabbit Awareness Week, alongside other animal charities and welfare organisations, PDSA is urging owners to ensure their bunnies are happy and healthy by checking their five welfare needs are met; Environment, Companionship, Health, Diet and Behaviour.

For more information on rabbit care, visit PDSA’s website: www.pdsa.org.uk/rabbits

About PDSA

 PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity that helps pets in need – when there is nowhere else to turn in times of financial hardship, PDSA is there. PDSA believes no pet should suffer because of financial hardship. 

PDSA’s veterinary care – which is a lifeline to so many owners across the UK – costs £60 million a year to run. But with many of its shops still closed and fundraising events cancelled, the charity is losing around £3 million a month in income.

With the country plunged into financial uncertainly, and more than a million extra Universal Credit claims, PDSA expects the number of pets needing care will increase by around 50,000.

To support PDSA and help them continue their vital work visit: pdsa.org.uk/appeal

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size for the pet owners’ survey was 5,036 dog, cat and rabbit owners aged 18+ who live in the UK. Fieldwork was undertaken between 7 January and 5 February 2019.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of the population by pet species (cat, dog or rabbit owners) and the owner’s gender, age and region.

Extrapolations to pet population figures are based on the following estimates of pet populations in the UK: 10.9 million cats, 9.9 million dogs and 900,000 rabbits.

*PAW Report found one-in-ten rabbits able to do between 0 and four hops in the widest part of their run.