Bristol Animal Rescue Centre seeing 'dramatic' increase of rabbits needing to be rehomed
They say what they're seeing here reflects the national picture - with the cost of living crisis playing a significant impact in the numbers of animals coming through their doors
Bristol Animal Rescue Centre (ARC) are having to find 'overflow' spaces for rabbits - as they find more and more unwanted animals coming through their doors, sometimes found in bags, boxes and cages and left in danger.
Across the country, new stats reveal RSPCA branches dealt with nearly 2000 rabbits needing to find a new home.
The RSPCA are reporting a national rabbit breeding crisis, with 1,942 rabbits being dealt with in 2022 alone - and this year is on track to see numbers dwarf that figure.
In Bristol, the ARC saw a 33% increase in rabbits being brought through their doors compared to 2021 - and double what they took in 2020.
Currently, 19 rabbits are in their care - this compares to an average of between 5 and 8 usually - and many of them are arriving pregnant or with young babies.
A single female rabbit can produce up to 30 babies in breeding season (which is usually February until late summer) and they can be mated and become pregnant again within hours of giving birth.
Jodie Hayward, Animal Home Manager at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, said: “It’s hard to pinpoint one particular reason for the sudden influx. One element could be the cost of living crisis – rabbits are not a cheap pet to keep and they require more care than most people initially realise.
“Some owners may not be able to afford neutering, or perhaps have adopted a male and a female without realising and then finding that they end up with babies they cannot care for. Our advice to anyone adopting pairs of rabbits is to take them to the vet as soon as possible to check their genders and have them neutered."
Gina Jones, also from Bristol ARC, said: "It's terribly sad - we're finding places to house rabbits that we didn't have before after finding rabbits who have been in all sorts of situations.
"We've had a pair of rabbits in a bag for life, for example. We've had a few in boxes or cages they can't get out of - which we'd never recommend, because if they're not found or they can't get out, then it's obviously not going to end well for the poor bunnies.
"We have seen an uptick in stray animals, and animals being signed over to our care because owners haven't been able to afford to keep them. Our costs are going up as well - our energy bills are ÂŁ17,000 more than they were last year - so that coupled up with a surge in demand is a recipe for a massive challenge for our team.
"We all do this job because we're passionate about animals - but it really does impact us. It's terribly sad to see these bunnies in desperate situations, but there will always be somebody on-hand to help if you really need it."
Bristol Animal Rescue Centre is calling on people who may be thinking of adopting a rabbit to get in touch.