Rabbit Factory Farm Planned in Nottinghamshire

Image taken from Pintrest.

Hello again, I am so sorry for my lengthy absence.  Whilst I have been away I have been inundated with Animal News and campaigns and feel awful for not having the time to share any of them with you.  Things are calming down a bit for a short period so I am going to attempt to do some catching up, starting with this unfortunate piece of news that a man named Philip Kerry from a Company called T&S Nurseries has submitted two applications to build rabbit factory farms in Nottinghamshire. (East Bridgford and Granby to be precise).

This is wrong on so many levels.  Peta has described rabbits as being "sensitive, social animals who, in the wild, build intricate burrow systems and have a strict hierarchy. Confining these normally gentle animals to cages denies them everything that is natural and important to them, such as foraging for food, tending to their young and even jumping." Having owned a number of rabbits myself, I know that they are intelligent inquisitive animals who require so much more stimulation than sitting in a hutch on their own, in the dark, all day.

The farms Philip Kerry is planning would house up to 1,100 rabbits kept in wire cages, stacked three high in barns with no windows.  Once the rabbits reached 12 weeks old they would be slaughtered.  Peta has stated "This unnatural environment – which provides no fresh air or sunlight – can cause extremely painful bone disorders and foot inflammations, and the stressed animals often resort to neurotic, self-harming behaviour."

How can you help?

If you follow this link it will take  you to Peta's website enabling you to enter a few details and generate a polite message to Nottinghamshire Council asking them to reject Mr Kerry's applications.  If you can spare some time to tell your friends to do this as well it will really make a difference.

Thank you.

Bunny Business!

The RSPCA are undertaking a Great Big Rabbit Survey and want rabbit owners to help by telling them why you love your bunny and what makes them happy.  This is all part of their campaign to improve rabbit welfare.

Rabbits are beautiful, social and intelligent creatures and unfortunately people aren't aware of how much care and stimulation a rabbit needs when they adopt them as a pet, this has lead to over 33,000 rabbits being handed to the RSPCA since early 2007 - a huge number.

As another incentive to helping the RSPCA with their survey (as if helping rabbits isn't enough!) you will be able to download an exclusive RSPCA screensaver and entered into a draw to win rabbit goodies!

Find out more here.

In Animal News this week...

Dancing polar bears?

A collection of 40 pictures selected as the greatest nature photographs of all time were put on sale in New York for yesterday’s Earth Day. Pictures include dancing polar bears, giant tortoises, and several under water images. Money raised from the auction will be donated to four conservation organisations.

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Brave Robin Red Breast

On Wednesday evening I unfortunately discovered a little robin lying dead in the grass. It looked like he had died of shock as there wasn’t a mark on him, poor thing. My first thought was to blame Rusty but there was a cheeky black cat hanging around so my suspicion has fallen on him. I happened upon a story in the newspaper about a bold little robin who has forged a close bond with a little girl and thought it was a nice story to share with you. It seems that the robin waits for the little girl named Lauren to come home from school each day and likes to take food from her hand. It is lovely to hear about this little girl loving animals and it certainly sounds like the feeling is mutual!

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Forget The Dog Whisperer, new Rabbit Whisperer on the Block!

A lot of people were amazed at the story about the “Rabbit Whisperer” who appears to hypnotise rabbits, putting them in a trance or relaxed state to enable them to receive veterinary treatment or to calm rabbits with behavioural problems. There is some debate over whether this experience is stressful for rabbits and one suggestion is that the rabbit relaxes their muscles but remains highly alert and in a stressed state.

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Planes for Pets?

One of my favourite stories this week… A new airline is set to launch in May but not your regular airline, it is the USA’s Pet Airway which will be flying pets from LA to the East Coast. Also on board the flight will be Pet Attendants who are the equivalent of air hostesses! Only pets are allowed to use this service but owners are able to monitor how their pets are doing. Sadly, in Britain, flights into the UK are forbidden from carrying pets in the main cabins (except guide dogs). However, in Spain it is possible for pets weighing no more than 17lbs to travel in a crate at the feet of their owners.

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