Rabbits and Poultry

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

Just put a search into google....there's plenty there to read...sadly

Out of curiosity I did Google it. Some of the top articles are old and quoting rabbit or animal advocacy organizations about the abuse and cruelty mostly about commercial breeders.

One that makes the claim "Rabbits 'now the most abused pet'" is a BBC article dated December 10, 2006...and this problem is still going on for over ten years?

However, when I looked a bit deeper I found that how "cruelty" is defined makes a huge difference. One UK source I found considered it cruelty for a pet rabbit to live alone: "[In 2014] a survey by the vets' charity PDSA found that 65 per cent of pet rabbits live alone." So, over half of all pet rabbits in the UK are living under "cruel conditions" based on this single condition, because their owner does not have a second rabbit? No wonder they say that pet rabbits in the UK are the most abused pet with that definition!

See, I do not consider that as cruelty, neglect to the point the rabbit's health is in jeopardy I consider cruel and abusive, but having one rabbit as a pet is NOT abuse to me. Having two rabbits living together that fight is far more cruel and abusive than having a single rabbit.

 

[matt14132]

Kind of reminds me of a Mareks, even the vaccinated birds can still catch it.....

I looked up a few pictures of the myxi rabbits.....so sad.

 

[happyhens1972]

See, I do not consider that as cruelty, neglect to the point the rabbit's health is in jeopardy I consider cruel and abusive, but having one rabbit as a pet is NOT abuse to me. Having two rabbits living together that fight is far more cruel and abusive than having a single rabbit.

I agree that keeping a single rabbit is not cruelty if it's in the right conditions but there are so many rabbits spending their lives living alone and confined to a three foot hutch with no run, being fed incorrect diets, causing a myriad of health issues.....and that is cruelty.

It has only been in very recent years that pet shops have started to sell larger hutches and runs for rabbits. Three foot was the norm for years and years. Also, muesli type foods that allow for selective feeding and instructions on the bag saying 'feed ad lib'.....no mention of a need for fibrous fodder, leading to digestive issues, mucky bums, flystrike. It was common practice, if they did sell them in pairs, to give no advice at all about the fact that hormones would take over and cause huge problems so then the 'extra' rabbit would end up in rescue or worse, in 'the wild' or there would be unwanted litters. Even more common practice....sell them with a guinea pig friend....leading to incorrect care for the pig too!

The RSPCA (which is not an institution I always have the utmost respect for but...) and the Rabbit Welfare Association, as well as vets and breeders have worked hard over more recent years to change the attitude of pet shops and the domestic market, to better realise the needs of rabbits and things are definitely improving but it's slow going. Just in my own social circle, I know of half a dozen rabbit keepers who's rabbits are not getting what they need in terms of space or diet and while they are not 'abused' in the sense of being beaten or starved, they are suffering for their owners ignorance and will live out their lives in the equivalent of a prison cell with no hope of parole :-(

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

I agree that keeping a single rabbit is not cruelty if it's in the right conditions but there are so many rabbits spending their lives living alone and confined to a three foot hutch with no run, being fed incorrect diets, causing a myriad of health issues.....and that is cruelty.

I agree on incorrect diets. I am not sure what you mean by a three foot hutch. What are other two dimensions?

 

[happyhens1972]

Usually somewhere in the region of 3ft long by 18 inches high by 18 inches deep. Not big enough for any rabbit to spend its life in. Breaks my heart

 

[BantamLover21]

Usually somewhere in the region of 3ft long by 18 inches high by 18 inches deep. Not big enough for any rabbit to spend its life in. Breaks my heart

I don't want to start an argument, but I disagree. Virtually every breeder I know, and myself, raise average sized rabbits (not the giant breeds) in cages that size or less. And while not every breeder is perfect, our rabbits are not miserable. Mine greet me at the cage every morning, happily devour their food, and "beg" for petting by shoving their heads under my hand. When I let them out occasionally, they binky around happily and still run over to me periodically for petting. They by no means hate me or are depressed about their solitary, caged life. And it doesn't seem to affect their longevity. I've only been raising rabbits for five years, so the oldest rabbit I've had is about five. However, a breeder friend of mine has had multiple rabbits reach 10-12 years old.

I am not opposed to people who give their rabbits more room, keep multiple rabbits together, and are concerned about animal welfare. I just don't want people who don't do such things to be unfairly characterized.

 

[happyhens1972]

I do not wish to argue either. I did not join this forum to fall out with anyone. I think it is a wonderful place and an absolute goldmine of help and useful information so we shall just have to civilly agree to disagree. I believe this is no life for a rabbit...or any animal. An average sized rabbit will get maybe two to three hops in a cage of that size and many would be unable to stand fully. It may not affect their longevity but then incarceration does not affect ours. It doesn't mean it's a good way to live. And you have said you at least let yours out occasionally. Many rabbits don't even get that.

Whilst I do not think for one moment that every rabbit needs what I have provided.....I have gone well over the top with their space and housing and that is just as much for me as them...I do believe every rabbit should have an exercise area that allows them to run, hop, binky and groom.

If people were saying they keep their chickens in a cage of the size we are talking about, on their own, with no ability to express their natural behaviours, the members would be down their throats in a jiffy.

I'm glad your rabbits are healthy and I am not characterising you, I just have a different opinion of how things should be done.

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

will live out their lives in the equivalent of a prison cell with no hope of parole

I believe this is no life for a rabbit...or any animal.

And yet this is rather accusative language....

My rabbits are in cages at least twice the size you are talking about and they often hop around in them in circles when they feel the urge. I have seen some cages that I feel are too small also. However, I feel that there are far better ways to encourage and educate people than making broad accusations on a forum full of people who work at preserving by selective breeding rabbits and other animals. In fact, the breed of rabbit I have was listed as critical on the endangered species list just a couple of years ago and now they are up to threatened. That does not happen when everyone gets a pair of rabbits, has them fixed, and then puts them in huge elaborate cages so they can live out their entire lives not producing--not doing what rabbits are so well suited to do for not even once in their entire lives, does it?

So, my point is I understand you have strong feelings on this subject, but I think the numbers are exaggerated about how many pet rabbits are actually abused in the UK because of the definition of abuse is highly exaggerated and it sounds to me like it is a problem with educating people in the UK about how to care for rabbits, so perhaps a softer tone might be more effective in the message being heard by the people who need to hear it the most.