Any mistreatment to an animal angers & upsets us deeply, but why is it that rabbits are the most neglected and misunderstood pet? Well here we have put together 10 very valid reasons (with the help from our facebook followers) as to why rabbits are the most neglected and most abandoned pet.
##1. People do not spend enough time with their rabbits.
Failing to interact with your rabbit is a huge mistake. Until a rabbit learns to trust you & see you as a friend, rather than a predator, they will be very wary of you. Some people just accept this is how a rabbit is and do not do anything about it, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. Once a bunny learns to trust you, they are completely different – funny, loving, entertaining & cheeky too. Sadly many people fail to put in the time to spend with their bunny, so no connection & no friendship is made & the poor rabbit remains shy, reserved & nervous. They are then seen as unfriendly & boring.
## 2. People don’t realise small cages are cruel.
Many people still think it is ok to keep rabbits in a small cage/hutch like they did back in Victorian times, when rabbits were kept as food. Many people wrongly think rabbits are rodents and they believe they will be happy to be left alone in small cages for long periods (sometimes even forever). Rabbits need space to live a happy healthy life! Stuck in a small cage, rabbits become bored and depressed, because they cannot do anything. They are then classed once again as boring.
## 3. People want their rabbit to suit them.
People either want a rabbit that is more outgoing than the one they have or not so active than the one they have. They fail to realise rabbits have as much personality as a dog does & every single one is different. People are so shocked when you say that rabbits can learn commands and are easily trained just like a dog. They do not realise that rabbits are very intelligent. Like any animal you should accept the way they are and love them unconditionally, but sadly many people don’t when it comes to rabbits.
## 4. People think they are cuddly creatures, almost like a toy.
They fail to realise rabbits need to learn to trust you before they will enjoy being fussed or cuddled by you. You are naturally seen as a predator, as rabbits are bottom of the food chain. Most rabbits hate being picked up & they will either scratch & bite or completely freeze with fear. People fail to realise that interacting with rabbits, without picking them up, is the best way (just like you do a dog – we don’t pick them up). So leave them on the floor & get down to their level!
## 5. Rabbits don’t have rights
The fact there are no rights when it comes to rabbit welfare will make people fail to realise what they are doing wrong. We need proper rights put in place to educate people and help reduce the amount of rabbits that are being neglected and abandoned.
## 6. People think ‘Oh it’s just a rabbit’
They are not thought of in the same way as people think about cats & dogs & sadly not valued the same. People fail to realise rabbits have just as much personality & just as many emotions too.
## 7. They are bought & sold too easily
Again no guidelines or rights in place for when you buy or sell a rabbit. More rabbits are bought/sold at Easter & Christmas time & people buy them as a gift & purchase them on impulse without doing their homework on what it takes to care for a rabbit. Sadly many realise they have made a mistake or decide a rabbit isn’t for them after all and they then get rid of the rabbit as easily as they bought the rabbit. Such a vicious circle, that ends up with the rabbit rescues suffering badly because of it.
## 8. They don’t bark or cry
It is very difficult to tell if a rabbit is in pain or unhappy, as they do not make noises like a cat or dog does. This is why it is very important to get to know their personalities and know what their normal behaviour is. Anytime you see a difference in their behaviour, you know it can be a sign that all it not well. Unfortunately so many are ignored.
If rabbits did bark or cry, then people’s gardens would be a much noisier place, with all those rabbits stuck all alone in small cramped cages.
## 9. People do not realise rabbits need to be neutered/spayed
Rabbits need neutering/spaying for many reasons & it’s not just to stop them having babies. As soon as a rabbit reaches maturity, their hormones go wild and their personalities can change. Most rabbits will spray urine, forget their litter training habits and start to act disruptive towards you or certain items in their home or your house. Most people fail to realise that the rabbit needs neutering/spaying and then things will calm down and go back to normal. Sadly most will just give up on their rabbit at this stage and abandon them.
## 10. People think they are easy, cheap pets
So therefore they fail to educate themselves on what it takes to care for a rabbit in the proper way. They automatically assume that very little is needed and therefore feel they are doing nothing wrong. Rabbits are a 10+ year commitment, they need lots of space & lots of care & attention. They need to be treated & loved like they are part of the family, because given the right chance, that is just what they will become & it is wonderful to share your life & home with them in the right way!
**Please share this blog & let’s hope the right people read it!
It’s about time things started to change for the better for these beautiful, angelic, loving, funny, amazing bundles of love. Let’s hope people realise how special they truly are and how they offer so much unconditional love & how they can become such a wonderful best friend & member of the family!**