Following on my letter in Winter 08 Rabbit On:-
As we are now at the start of the season, could RU members keep an eye out for out of date rabbit reference books on sale at boot sales as well as the charity shops & stalls. I know that car booters wouldn't withdraw a book from sale but books at boot fairs are usually quite cheap & it's worth buying them to destroy them to ensure they don't get used.
And please don't assume that an RSPCA book would be OK. Last weekend I found an old RSPCA rabbit book for sale in a charity shop which suggested a guinea pig as a good compainion for a rabbit. I got that one withdrawn & torn up in front of me after I showed the staff newer books which cautioned against keeping rabbits & piggies together.
Out of date rabbit books
Could I ask all RWAF members to regularly check out the rabbit reference books & guides being sold through their local charity shops or charity book stalls.
I recently found an old " How to keep rabbits" book for sale on a charity book stall. The book stated a 3ft long hutch was ideal & had a accompanying photo of 2 rabbits sharing a 3 ft hutch! Other parts of the book were also out of date with current rabbit care & welfare practices.
I was concerned that this book could be bought for reference by potential new rabbit owners, who would have used this out dated information as their "Rabbit Reference" & innocently inflict cruelty on their rabbits.
I spoke to the people running the stall & explained that the information was out of date, did not conform to current RSPCA recommendations & may breach the current Animal Welfare Act. They withdrew the book at once & promised that it would be pulped. If they hadn't withdrawn the book, I would have bought it myself & destroyed it to ensure that its harmful contents couldn't be read or its advice followed.
As we are now at the start of the season, could RU members keep an eye out for out of date rabbit reference books on sale at boot sales as well as the charity shops & stalls. I know that car booters wouldn't withdraw a book from sale but books at boot fairs are usually quite cheap & it's worth buying them to destroy them to ensure they don't get used.
And please don't assume that an RSPCA book would be OK. Last weekend I found an old RSPCA rabbit book for sale in a charity shop which suggested a guinea pig as a good compainion for a rabbit. I got that one withdrawn & torn up in front of me after I showed the staff newer books which cautioned against keeping rabbits & piggies together.