# Scottish SPCA Urgent appeal to rehome abandoned rabbits



## Flopster (Dec 12, 2007)

SSPCA hits crisis point as it bids to re-home rabbits
AN urgent appeal to re-home rabbits has been put out by the Scottish SPCA after it revealed there was no more room at its animal rescue centre. 

Over recent weeks the centre has been filling up with rabbits, and after nine were found abandoned outside an Edinburgh pet store on Friday, the charity admitted it was reaching crisis point. 


It has been suggested that the animals are being abandoned in a "pre-Christmas clear-out" by families who now wanted to buy a different pet as a present. 

The Lothian Animal Welfare Centre at Balerno now has 29 rabbits, meaning it has no space for any more and little room for any other animals that may need help. 

The society has put out an urgent appeal for families to come forward and provide homes for the rabbits, but warned they must provide them with proper care. 

Doreen Graham, a spokeswoman for the Scottish SPCA, said the animals were known as "silent victims" as they cannot make a noise, but are often poorly looked after by families who bought them "on a whim". 

"Because rabbits are quite easy to get hold off, they are a very popular pet, and the perception is that they don't require much effort to look after," she said. 

"Like any other animal, though, they need a lot of care, yet because they cannot make any noise they are often just left in cramped hutches by families who bought them thinking it would be a good present but then tired of them."

*This article:* http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1925602007

*Last updated:* 10-Dec-07 12:03 GMT


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## happy_hoppers (Dec 13, 2007)

Sadly all UK based rabbit rescues are full to bursting at the moment. I have run out of free foster carers and once again have had to ressurect our waiting list.

Its a very sorry state of affairs and its only going to get worse with the post christmas rush.


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