Pets at Home has announced it will temporarily prevent people from purchasing or adopting rabbits in its 460 UK stores over the Easter weekend.
The move is an attempt to prevent people from impulsively purchasing the animals because of their association with the holiday without thinking about the care needed to look after them properly.
It’s not the first year the pet shop chain has operated this policy, with one Pets at Home spokesperson saying: “Every year, we make the decision to temporarily halt rabbit sales over the Easter weekend.
“This is a deliberate action to discourage any impulsive choices about owning a rabbit, given their close association with this time of year.
“Rabbits make wonderful pets, however, they are not the ‘easy’ pet that they can often be thought of as. Rabbits have complex needs, including specialised dietary requirements and environments, and we always want to educate and encourage careful reflection on how those needs will be met before homing.”
Rabbits are a popular pet in the UK with the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) estimating 2% of adults have one. The pet rabbit population in the UK is around 800,000.
Animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), said around 80% of rabbits adopted and purchased over the Easter season are either abandoned or have died within a year.
Speaking to ITV News, Peta Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen said she believes the company should go further.
“Easter cheer is short-lived for the thousands of rabbits bought on a whim and dumped at already-inundated rescues,” she said.
“It’s only right that Pets at Home suspend their sale of rabbits over the period, but as rabbit abandonment isn’t only a holiday phenomenon, the company ought to make their pause permanent and stop selling these sensitive animals year-round.
“Rabbits are complex individuals who dislike being picked up; they require adequate space to run and leap, boredom-busting enrichment, a species-appropriate diet, and specialist veterinary care.
“Anyone with the necessary time, love, and money to care for a rabbit should avoid supporting the cruel pet trade and visit a rescue to adopt a pair (or more) waiting for ‘somebunny’ to love them.”
The move by Pets at Home mirrors other famous animal welfare campaigns such as The Dog’s Trust 1978 slogan “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”.
Signs at the pet shop chain where the rabbits used to be will tell customers: “Owning a rabbit can be very rewarding and enjoyable. It’s also a long-term commitment that you need to make sure you’re ready for. We pride ourselves on putting pets before profit, so we’ve made the decision not to sell or adopt rabbits over the Easter weekend (April 18 to 21).”
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