Rabbits Require Rights!

If you guys havent heard of it already, Rabbits Require Rights are a group who are giving rabbits a voice and improving rabbit welfare. There are also undercover bunnies investigating and exposing pet shop conditions.



"Today's the day that us pesky little bunnies are meeting with SNP MEP Alyn Smith to discuss our campaign
Exciting times, he works tirelessly for animal welfare & environmental issues so will be a great voice for the plight of our rabbits.
As you can see he was quite smitten during his visit to Buddies Bunny Rescue last summer.
For the Buns ♥" -RRR






From last year when he came and visited Buddies Bunny Rescue


a little bit more about-

"Giving Rabbits a voice in Scotland, lobbying the Scottish Parliament to end pet shop sales & unregulated breeding of rabbits & for better legislation governing their welfare because Rabbits Require Rights too!
Mission
To give the silent sufferers that are Rabbits a voice in Scotland by campaigning the Scottish Parliament to improve laws governing the welfare of Rabbits.

1: NO PET SHOP SALES
including private breeders, newspaper/Gumtree adverts etc.. Rabbits should only be bred under strict licensed conditions via registered breeders only

2: NO MASS BREEDING/ RODENT MILLS
stopping the supply network for pet shops & other outlets and prevent the over-breeding of individual animals

3: NO INADEQUATE HOUSING
No more starter hutches/cages. Hutches to be sold in guidance with acceptable sizes as set out by the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund standards and sold complete with Run - no more separate sales of hutches and runs. They should be sold together as one package

4: NO ISOLATION
Rabbits are sociable animals and should be homed in pairs or bonding service provided by licensed breeder for those looking for a partner for their single buns

5: NO SUFFERING
Any rabbit being sold or re-homed should come with a (recent) health certificate, vaccinated & neutered (if old enough) & advice pack - Laws Governing the need for regular Vet checks for rabbits - better education to public removing the myth of cute, cuddly child friendly pet - Diet! Ensure rabbits are fed a proper diet, no more muesli based foods and that carrots are a BAD for rabbits & should only be fed as an occasional treat."





There is also loads more info on thier facebook page and website so please like and check it out and help spread the message

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rabbits-Require-Rights-Scotland/205019756297533?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://rabbitsrequirerights.webs.com/about-us

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

Although that is what most of us would like to see, I feel that blanket legislation on all those matters would be too inflexible.

Were legislation like that to be passed in the UK I would have to have Benjie pts to comply with the law. I can't see anyone else taking on a bun with snuffles & abscesses + dental issues (£240 /dental) plus the care needed to provide dust free food & with the risks presented to a healthy partner bun & himself.

The law is ridgid, no if's or buts, or allowances for better solutions under the circumstances.
I just say -think through the consequences of the introduction of such legislation & how it will be implemented.

thumps_ said:

Although that is what most of us would like to see, I feel that blanket legislation on all those matters would be too inflexible.

Were legislation like that to be passed in the UK I would have to have Benjie pts to comply with the law. I can't see anyone else taking on a bun with snuffles & abscesses + dental issues (£240 /dental) plus the care needed to provide dust free food & with the risks presented to a healthy partner bun & himself.

The law is ridgid, no if's or buts, or allowances for better solutions under the circumstances.
I just say -think through the consequences of the introduction of such legislation & how it will be implemented.

Click to expand...

Hi thumps :wave: could you direct me to the part of the law that would imply that Benjy would have to be pts ? I'm a bit confused (might not have read the detail enough mind)

Nice to see an organisation like this getting some formal recognition :thumb: liked some of their pics on their Facebook page too :thumb:

Gus-ta-furry said:

Hi thumps :wave: could you direct me to the part of the law that would imply that Benjy would have to be pts ? I'm a bit confused (might not have read the detail enough mind)

Nice to see an organisation like this getting some formal recognition :thumb: liked some of their pics on their Facebook page too :thumb:

Click to expand...

Benjie is a single bun. The suggestion was that single buns aren't to be legally allowed.
I knew the "healthy bun" Benjie had snuffles when he arrived, but soon found the 2 abscesses. His chances of survival were low. So I pulled out all the stops, substituting fresh grass & tree leaves for hay so he never had to inhale dust, plus a strict hoovering regime. Just getting his daily forage & drying for winter takes about 3 hours a day, rain or shine. Then we have our regular morning & evening prime times about another 3 hours.

When it came to considering a partner for him there were 2 big worries. The stress of bonding could easily cause his immune system to drop, with pasteurella breaking out everywhere. Equally there was no way I could continue this diet for 2 buns. Benjie had long teeth on arrival & had trouble from tiny spurs 8 months later. Cost of dental has risen to £240. Insurance doesn't cover the cost of dentals or complications from his snuffles. He has constant medication. I couldn't afford another dental bun.

So if forced by law to take 2 buns there is no way I could do it. I very much doubt that anyone else would invest the time & effort I give him, or would take him on.
You are right he wouldn't have to be pts. He won't eat if we're separated even for 1/2 day. (I'm with him 24/7) We just share the whole house together. He's under my chair right now - just needs to nudge my ankle & he'll get a stroke. I'm trying to say that we don't fit into the regulations suggested. I certainly don't advocate them for others. But he's only recently finished his 1st. course of ABx & wasn't expected to survive the year.

I'm also trying to say be careful what you legislate for. There are no exceptions to the law.

While the intentions are obviously good I can't really see this being taken seriously as the changes suggested are very radical. I'd have concentrated on one thing (probably the banning of inadequate housing being sold is the most realistic and would make the most different long term) and gradually started lobbying about some of the other stuff listed.

Lets face it there are no restrictions on the breeding of cats and dogs at the moment and both are more popular than bunnies so it seems unlikely that rabbits would be awarded any kind of rights before dogs and cats.

From the leaflet I was interested to see what the code of practice is keeping rabbits in Wales. From what I can see all it is is a repeat of the animal welfare act which is wishy-washy at best.

http://wales.gov.uk/docs/drah/publications/110817rabbitcodeen.pdf

If the conditions pet rabbits are kept in in Wales isn't much different to the rest of the UK then there seems little point in replicating it in Scotland.

So yeah although I like some of the aims I think they're too extreme to be taken seriously as they stand at the moment.

Thumps, I read it more as rabbits are to be homed/ sold in pairs, not that single rabbits would be banned
And I think these seem to just be broad aims, not the actual suggested wording of the legislation

vee-jay said:

Thumps, I read it more as rabbits are to be homed/ sold in pairs, not that single rabbits would be banned
And I think these seem to just be broad aims, not the actual suggested wording of the legislation

Click to expand...

Thanks for this Vee-jay. I think that the truth of the matter is that I feel guilty that he doesn't have the company of his own kind & guilty that I can't afford 2 chronically ill buns, so I over react a bit.

I agree with you Crunchie that housing is the most amenable to legislation, & would do the most good.
I've a nice story about a man who came to do work on my house & brought his children with him. The children were very well behaved so we all ended up in the garden having ice creams & Thumper joined us for a run round free ranging. He was very friendly towards visitors. The children also had a rabbit each but I didn't dare ask how they kept them.
I met the man a few months later. His children had subsequently pestered him for a 12' run for their rabbits, & he had found that both rabbits were "easier to handle" given more space. He's now become a strong advocate for improved conditions & certainly sees lots of people's homes through his work.

I didn't notice the bit about single buns.

My Spenser is a single bun, which does make me feel guilty sometimes. If I could turn the clock back I would have done things differently, but I wouldbn't not have had my boy.