14 Jun Rabbit Awareness Week 2023
Rabbit Awareness Week
The UK’s Pet Population
UK Pet Food, have been gathering information on the UK’s pet population for over 15 years. Earlier this year they revealed that pet ownership has changed massively with a big decline in the number of households owning a pet. In particular there’s been a fall in the umber of pet cats and dogs which has declined by almost 6% and now stands at 12 million and 11 million respectively.
However, it’s not all bad news… the littlest of our furry friends have seen a surge and pet ownership for smaller pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters are on the up (by almost 50%!). This shift in pet ownership is most likely due to the cost of living crisis and families seeking smaller, less costly pets.
This news comes in just before we celebrate the most popular of the small pet family, the bunny rabbit!
Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) runs from June 27th – July 1st this year and aims to educate on ways to improve the welfare of rabbits. Here’s a little information for any bunny parents or those wondering how a rabbit might hop into their lives.
Neutering
We all want the best for our pets and the health and wellbeing of a pet rabbit is just as important as any other animal we bring into our homes. With the focus of RAW this year being on neutering, we wanted to share a bit of info on how this simple procedure could benefit their health. Apart from stopping any unwanted litters, up to 80% of un-neutered female rabbits develop cancer in their uterus within five years. Neutering at an early stage can prevent this from happening. Male rabbits can become aggressive and fight with other rabbits around him. Neutering the males will calm them down and make it possible for them to live peacefully with females and their young.
Obesity
Another of the big concerns for rabbits and something to really look out for is obesity. Well cared for rabbits have quite the life, digging, rummaging, playing, gnawing and EATING! Rabbits have big appetites and enjoy munching on fruits and veg as well as vet recommended rabbit food/nuggets. In the wild, a rabbit runs the equivalent of three football pitches a day! Even the most luxurious hutch and run will be unable to provide the space to do this. It’s important to make sure your rabbits don’t have too many fruits and veg that are high in sugar and instead try and aim for a diet high in fiber and hay. A good diet and plenty of exercise will give your rabbits the best chance of staying cute, cuddly and most importantly healthy!
The Rabbit Awareness Action Group advise to always insure your rabbit and we’d love to have you on board with 4Paws. We even offer discounts for multi-bunny policies! Find out more here https://4paws.co.uk/pet-information/rabbits/.