Just came back from the Great Yorkshire Show. I know I should have stopped myself going into the rabbit shed but couldn't help it. It must have been at least 30 degrees in the room - no ventilation whatsoever. Rabbits in 1ft x 1ft cages, music blaring, etc. A few lucky buns had a small fan to keep them cool but the same couldn't be said for the rest. They were all suffering in the heat and it pains me to say it but I am sure by the end of the day some will have succumb to heatstroke, particularly the angora breeds that didn't stand a chance. There wasn't one bun in that room that wasn't in distress because of the heat. How are they even allowed to keep the buns in that stifling room?
My heart was breaking at the rabbit breeds where their features had been exaggerated for the purposes of showing. The Nethies were tiny, completely compacted. Breeders are breeding them smaller and smaller. The same goes for the dwarf lops; apparently the more squished their face is, the better.
Is there someone I can contact to make a complaint about this? If they are going to show these rabbits then they can't be keeping them in 30 degree sheds just to appease visitors who want to see them. It seems a lot of breeders think they are somehow exempt from welfare standards. This was a rant more than anything but maybe something can be done to prevent this from happening in future years.
My heart was breaking at the rabbit breeds where their features had been exaggerated for the purposes of showing. The Nethies were tiny, completely compacted. Breeders are breeding them smaller and smaller. The same goes for the dwarf lops; apparently the more squished their face is, the better.
Is there someone I can contact to make a complaint about this? If they are going to show these rabbits then they can't be keeping them in 30 degree sheds just to appease visitors who want to see them. It seems a lot of breeders think they are somehow exempt from welfare standards. This was a rant more than anything but maybe something can be done to prevent this from happening in future years.