Royston rabbit rescue is at ‘breaking point’ as abandoned bunnies dramatically increase
The number of abandoned rabbits increased by 200 per cent.
The Rabbit Residence Rescue Centre is at full capacity, housing 70 bunnies, and has 200 more on its waiting list.
And they say that fewer people are wanting to adopt them.
Catherine Davies works at the Hertfordshire rescue centre, and she tells us this is the worst they have ever been.
She said: “We’ve been going for 20 years, and we’ve never had such a high demand.
“We’ve obviously had to turn people away and it's heart-breaking.”
Catherine adds that the pandemic is the main reason for the number of abandoned bunnies, as more people adopted pets spontaneously.
She said: “Their lifestyles changed back to how it was pre-pandemic, and they can’t keep their rabbits anymore.
“We also have people who’ve had rabbits pre-pandemic, but now have lost jobs, houses, they’ve gone through breakups, some got sick, and they just can’t keep their animals anymore.”
The rescue has also seen an 85 per cent drop in applications from people who want to adopt a rabbit.
Catherine says that people getting rabbits through Facebook free listings and buying them through pet shops is one of the main reasons for the drop.
She said: “if you're thinking of getting rabbit, please do adopt, don't shop.
“We offer free advice, we can match you to a nice bunny depending on what your lifestyle is, and they’ve all have had vet checks, which you do not get from a pet shop.”
Also, one in 20 people who apply through the rescue to adopt a rabbit do not have the proper conditions to house them.
Catherine said: “You need a lot of space and time to care for rabbits properly. If you keep them out in a little hutch, they're more likely to be sick and have temperament issues.
“Lots of rabbits that are kept in small hutches end up aggressive, which is one of the reasons they then get signed up to the rescue.
“This is quite frustrating because if they've been given space, they would probably be a much happier little rabbit.”