Dozens of giant rabbits – one of which weighs as much as a jack russell terrier – are looking for new homes after being “bred for their meat” on an allotment.
The RSPCA rescued 42 Flemish giant rabbits in Ashington, Northumberland, which were found living in “dreadful conditions in cramped hutches, where they had been left to breed with each other”.
The rabbits are being cared for in several shelters in the north-east of England. Some have been taken home by staff because of a shortage of shelter space.
Of all the rabbits rescued, the largest weighed more than 8kg (17.6lb) and had ears seven inches long.
Each rabbit had its own personality, the charity said. For example, Cookie Crisp, weighing in at 4kg, is a “big boy” who loves exploring and playing.
John Billany, the rehoming coordinator at RSPCA Northumberland West, said many of the rabbits were still young, and could get bigger as they got older.
He said: “It’s difficult to tell because all these rabbits were mixed and matched with different rabbits, so you’re never quite sure what they’re going to turn out like. Where they’ve come from, I think they’ve obviously been bred for size, rather than quality. They’ve just been trying to get them as big as they can.
“They are a big breed, as their name suggests, so they are probably suited to the more experienced rabbit owner who has had giants before. They are nice rabbits, but they are just big, and potential owners need to know what they are doing and how to meet their needs.”
Jan Ormiston, an RSPCA trustee and volunteer, said the charity had more than twice the number of rabbits in shelters than before the pandemic. At the Northumberland West shelter, there would normally be about a dozen rabbits, she said, but there were now about 30.
Ormiston said: “We have a rabbit crisis at the minute. We just have so many rabbits that have come into our care. It is unbelievable.”
She said this could happen when people bought a pair of rabbits from a high street pet shop mistakenly thinking they were both the same sex, which could lead to owners soon having more pets than they bargained for.
In addition, many owners have given up their rabbits after realising they require as much care as a cat – and vet’s bills are just as expensive.
Ormiston said: “I think it’s because during lockdown, a lot of people thought that rabbits were a good starter pet and that they were low maintenance. And they’re not.”
The RSPCA said the rabbits would all be neutered before moving to their new homes.
