• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Rescues/animal sanctuaries

ripminnie

Wise Old Thumper
Do the minimum hutch/run requirements apply to rescues/animal sanctuaries as well as pet owners? I'm just wondering, as the rabbits at Bleakholt where I've just started volunteering don't have anything like enough space :( I'm hoping to get a foot in the door and have my say etc but if I don't get listened to I thought this might be a way to get things done... :wave:
 
I don't know about other rescues but Walsall RSPCA have 6ft x 2ft hutches for all the foster rabbits, as well as 6ft x 4ft runs. We do have smaller hutches(some 5ft) incase of emergencies but these are only used for a very short amount of time and are often bigger than what the rabbits were in before.
 
Last edited:
Ours have large runs during the day- about 5ft by 12ft of which about 5 foot is sheltered. They go into 6ft by 2ft hutches by night although we are hoping to make adjustments to the shed ( when time and money allows) so that they have 6 by 4 indoor runs too.
It is not a legal requirement so I guess they don't have to keep the animals in those measurements, but I would have thought for a sanctuary they would be aiming to give the animals the best environment possible.
 
We are a sanctuary and are proud to practice what we preach.

All of our 100+ rabbits have a minimum 6x2x2 hutch and a permanent enclosure - most being a minimum of 6x8ft
Our piggies also have minimum 5ft hutches
 
A lot of our hutches are sub-standard at the moment, but we have plans to meet min recommendations (at least) very soon. We have just bought a small field and another barn, which will be converted into a new rabbit unit. Cost of new accommodation for a lot of rabbits can be off-putting to the smaller rescues. Perhaps you can recommend improving one hutch at a time rather than all of them at the same time?
 
Back
Top