New homes needed for an abundance of bunnies

Since 2020, the Scottish SPCA has taken in 1816 rabbits.

The charity is currently caring for 81 rabbits across Scotland and, since 2020, the charity has taken in 1816 bunnies, with around 87% of those arriving needing some form of veterinary treatment.

Many are also pregnant. Since 2020, the charity’s centres have welcomed 299 baby rabbits born in their care.

Sadly, although these animals quickly arrive at the centres, they are often difficult to rehome and remain in the charity’s care for a number of months.

Rachael Maclean, Scottish SPCA rehabilitations operations lead, said: “We currently have a lot of rabbits in our care. It’s hard to say why so many of these animals end up at our centres. However, we suspect that often they seen as an ‘easy’ pet and purchased for a child.

“In reality, rabbits are incredibly complex and social animals who need a lot of care, exercise and enrichment to stay happy and healthy.

“We would encourage anyone thinking of bringing a rabbit into their home to consider adopting. We have so many to choose from that we’re sure we can find the right fit for most homes.

“We have lots of single rabbits, some of whom are neutered, who could be bonded to an existing rabbit. Anyone looking to adopt a rabbit as a companion should make sure they follow proper introductions and have space available if the pair don’t get along.

“If you’re a new rabbit owner, and daunted by the prospect of bonding rabbits, many of our rabbits are already bonded into pairs or trios.

“These animals are so much more complex than many people give them credit for and have amazing personalities. We’d really love for them to find their forever homes.”

“Anyone who is interested in adopting a rabbit but has questions or concerns should give their local centre a call on 03000 999 999 or pop into centre reception for a chat with our team.

All rabbits available for adoption can be viewed and applied for on the Scottish SPCA website here: https://www.scottishspca.org/rehome/

Advice on what to consider before rehoming a rabbit can be found here: https://www.scottishspca.org/advice/domestic/rabbits.