The number of rabbits being taken in by rescue centres has surged as people look to give up their pets due to the cost of living crisis.
In 2021, the RSPCA’s centres and branches across England & Wales took in 2,731 rabbits; a 7% increase compared to 2020 (2,549).
The figures have been released as part of the charity’s Adoptober campaign; a month-long rehoming drive to highlight the animals in its care and encourage people to rescue.
The average time it takes rabbits in RSPCA care to find new homes has also increased as the charity sees an 8% decrease in rehoming as the cost of living crisis impacts millions.
In 2021, it took 117 days, on average, to rehome a rabbit; up 12.5% from 104 days in 2020. But some of the rabbits in RSPCA care have been waiting much longer, including:
Mother and daughter bunny duo Melody and Marisa have been waiting for more than two-and-a-half years to find their forever home together. They arrived at RSPCA Reading with Oxon Border branch in March 2020 and went into a long-term foster home but are now back in the centre’s care to find their forever home. They can be quite timid so are looking for a calm home with older children or adults. They’d like a large outdoor enclosure where they can explore and play.
At RSPCA Southridge Animal Centre, in Hertfordshire, bunny pair Fozzie & Scooter who have spent almost their entire lives in RSPCA care, after being rescued from a building site two years and nine months ago. The shy rabbits are thought to be part wild rabbit so they don’t like being handled. They need an experienced adult-only home with people who can slowly introduce them to human interaction.
One-year-old rabbit pair Sawny & Yrene (pictured top) arrived at RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre, Cambridgeshire, separately but have now formed a lovely bond. They love to snuggle up together but have sadly been waiting for 18 months and still haven’t found their forever home. Sawny is very sweet and absolutely loves food, binkying for treats! He’s very active and likes a little head stroke but is still getting used to being handled. Yrene is very friendly and loves to be hand-fed treats but doesn’t like to be handled.
RSPCA Bridlington, Driffield and District Branch, in East Yorkshire, is looking for a home for rabbit pair Frizzle & Patch who have been waiting a year to find their perfect match. The three-year-old Lionheads are friendly but can be timid at times. They were previously kept in a small hutch in a dark room so have loved having access to a big enclosure to run and play in. They’ll need plenty of space to enjoy their day-to-day lives.
Bonded bunny pair Diva & Beau (pictured) are at Longview Animal Centre – run by RSPCA Blackpool & North Lancs Branch – looking for a home together. The four-year-old rabbits have sadly been waiting for their forever homes for 18 months and are hoping to find rabbit-savvy owners to take them on. Diva is independent and sassy while Beau is a calm, relaxed bunny.
Crossbreed bun Kadie has sadly been waiting for 14 months for his forever home at RSPCA Walsall Branch, in the West Midlands. He was rescued as a four-week-old by an inspector along with his three siblings. He had to have dental surgery to remove his incisors but this hasn’t impacted his eating or drinking and he’s now ready for a fresh start. He needs some assistance with grooming and his teeth must be regularly checked so we’re looking for a home with an experienced rabbit owner who is aware he could have future dental problems. He’d love a lady bun to spend his time with and could live in an indoor home.
Rabbit crisis
The RSPCA has seen a huge increase in rabbits coming into its care and has had to build more rabbit accommodation at centres across the country to make space for them. There’s also a long waiting list of bunnies in private boarding establishments who are waiting for space in our centres so they can start their journey to finding a new home.
RSPCA rabbit welfare expert Dr Jane Tyson said: “Rabbits can live for a long time and can be costly, they need much more than just a hutch at the end of the garden – they need space, companionship and enrichment to live happy and healthy lives.
“We’d urge anyone thinking of getting bunnies to do their research first and make sure they can commit to those rabbits for the rest of their lives. If you’d like to take on a rabbit or a pair of rabbits then please do consider adopting a rescue animal instead of buying from a pet shop.”
