Need your voices - Animal cruelty at Crealy

This is on Facebook.
I won't add pics as upsetting but the lady who took the photo said:

The image here was taken by a rabbit savvy member of the public in the last week or so. She went to speak to a member of staff when they saw this newborn kit out of the nest, mum exhausted and in unsatisfactory conditions. The staff did nothing and apparently left the kit to die.

The lady who took the photos writes

"On the last day of my holiday I witnessed the most appalling scenes of rabbit neglect at a children's theme park called Crealy just outside Exeter. All rabbits were in tiny hutches on sawdust, with no hay and just muesli to eat. All of them were either pregnant or had litters and were exhibiting severe signs of heat exhaustion. The large barn was so hot that I nearly collapsed trying but failing to get some help for them. One baby bun around three days old looked as if she/he had either made her way out of the nest or the mother had removed her. When I pointed this out I was told: 'Well it has been there a couple of days and it is still alive.' Unbelievably while I was there those in charge yanked the does out from their hutches to trim their overgrown nails. I tried to explain that you don't do this when they have their young and are pregnant but my pleas fell on deaf ears. I am pleased to say the humans got bitten and scratched quite badly. I feel really bad because I could not help these poor rabbits and I don't know what to do. The amazing thing is that the guinea pigs lived in wonderful outdoor enclosures with lots of shade and huge wendy houses. I plan to contact Crealy management but would love some support from someone living locally who is aware of this situation or indeed, anyone. Something has got to be done to save these rabbits, and yes, I have photos...."

The RWA are now involved. They say to : Please write on their Facebook page, TripAdvisor and if you have been call the RSPCA.

Please do not visit Devons Crealy in Exeter and please tell them why you won't be going too.

I wondered how long it would take for this to get on here! Wasn't sure about the etiquette of cross-posting so thanks for adding this. :thumb:

I wanted to know if anyone's rang Devon's Crealy to speak to them about it?

It's all so distressing. I've got to saythese farms and parks seem to be the worst offenders. The poor bunnies I'm so grateful Ludo is out and free.

Hesperus said:

I wondered how long it would take for this to get on here! Wasn't sure about the etiquette of cross-posting so thanks for adding this. :thumb:

I wanted to know if anyone's rang Devon's Crealy to speak to them about it?

It's all so distressing. I've got to saythese farms and parks seem to be the worst offenders. The poor bunnies I'm so grateful Ludo is out and free.

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I don't see why it wouldn't be ok ? The lady who wrote it and added pics has told me it's ok to
Share and the RWA have ADVISED complaining in force so :thumb:

It was just the photo I thought would be upsetting so left it out.

Lea-Anne said:

I don't see why it wouldn't be ok ? The lady who wrote it and added pics has told me it's ok to
Share and the RWA have ADVISED complaining in force so :thumb:

It was just the photo I thought would be upsetting so left it out.

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Oh no, I know it's fine and I know they asked it to be, yes go for it. I'm just a bit nervous about doing it myself ! Sometimes these things get heated and I'm never sure whether to include direct links etc etc... what a minefield. I'm so glad someone else did it at last (that's what I meant!). :thumb:

Hesperus said:

Oh no, I know it's fine and I know they asked it to be, yes go for it. I'm just a bit nervous about doing it myself ! Sometimes these things get heated and I'm never sure whether to include direct links etc etc... what a minefield. I'm so glad someone else did it at last (that's what I meant!). :thumb:

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Bless you. I'm furious. They are lucky I live 300miles away or I'd be straight down there.

Lea-Anne said:

Bless you. I'm furious. They are lucky I live 300miles away or I'd be straight down there.

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Me too. I just can't believe they think it's ok to put breeding animals on display. That's what I don't get. I think I'll ring them later and demand to speak to the manager. They don't know I live the other end of the coast!

posted my comments on their FB page. love how us RU'ers have hopped onto this to speak out our concern, as can already see the posts before mine. we really are an bunny intelligence network!

They've responded to our comments :evil:

Wow I didn't see that there was already a thread and I made one

I feel very bad for the poor bunnies

Snowytoshi said:

Wow I didn't see that there was already a thread and I made one

I feel very bad for the poor bunnies

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I don't think an extra thread can do any harm!

I live 10 miles for Devon crealy. They breed and sell the bunnies to members of the public. They used to sell hutches too. Not been up there for two years or so. Last time i was up there they only had a few in reasonable size hutches and the rest in hutch run combo's.

If theres anything i can help with at my end just shout.

Have left 2 comments on facebook page.
Please everyone bombard it with messages.Hopefully affect
their business at their peek time.:evil:

They've posted this on their wall:
Thank you for your updated comments. As stated earlier, we have spoken to the RSPCA and invited them to come and visit Treacle and Syrup and look around our Animal Barn. We have made the RSPCA aware of your concerns on Facebook also.

We can assure you that our Senior Management are very involved and have read your comments. We have also met with our small animal vet this morning who has confirmed that Treacle and Syrup are fit and healthy whilst also taking the time to visit our other small animals which he was very happy with.

In light of all your comments, we have decided to independently review our policies and will be seeking recommendations from official bodies including the RSPCA and interested rabbit groups. In the meantime, if you would please email any concerns or questions to animalbarn@crealy.co.uk and we will be happy to respond to you.

Jaffacake said:

They've posted this on their wall:
Thank you for your updated comments. As stated earlier, we have spoken to the RSPCA and invited them to come and visit Treacle and Syrup and look around our Animal Barn. We have made the RSPCA aware of your concerns on Facebook also.

We can assure you that our Senior Management are very involved and have read your comments. We have also met with our small animal vet this morning who has confirmed that Treacle and Syrup are fit and healthy whilst also taking the time to visit our other small animals which he was very happy with.

In light of all your comments, we have decided to independently review our policies and will be seeking recommendations from official bodies including the RSPCA and interested rabbit groups. In the meantime, if you would please email any concerns or questions to animalbarn@crealy.co.uk and we will be happy to respond to you.

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Please keep bombarding facebook page so public see our comments and also Trip Advisor.Let us hit them hard in the pocket and hope they improve conditions.

This was my reply.

1) You can care about animal welfare and be a meat eater. I don't have a problem with people who eat rabbits aslong as they are raised correctly and killed humanely. We are allowed an opinion.
2) I work in the animal industry. If my staff behaved like this I would be disgusted. They need training.
3) why are you breeding?? 70, 000 rabbits in rescue already. Do you home check ?
4) female DO NOT take their kits out of the nest and carry them around unless stressed. Fact.
5) Rabbits need space and company. Yours have neither.
6) Nursing animals should not be on show to the public! Noise and stress ?!?
7) Museli mix. They should be on GRASS.
The standard of living conditions for these animals is not good enough.

Yes I wonder why they prefer email? Maybe so general public cannot see comments.

foxy2279 said:

I live 10 miles for Devon crealy. They breed and sell the bunnies to members of the public. They used to sell hutches too. Not been up there for two years or so. Last time i was up there they only had a few in reasonable size hutches and the rest in hutch run combo's.

If theres anything i can help with at my end just shout.

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Maybe you could go and see if any changes have been made in a week or two? I wish I lived closer to do so. Then we will see if they have listened to the RWA or just fobbing us off.

Facebook and Trip Advisor.
Do not send them e mails as many people as possible need to see this and hopefully spend
their holiday money elsewhere.

Ive visited them a number of times before and it is disgraceful their animal welfare! The hutches are tiny and I would say all of them are bred not just some as they stated, they also put guineapigs with their rabbits, one family buying two babies for their children wanted two rabbits the woman selling said she did not advise this as they would fight but she did have a guinea pig left which would go well :evil: me and my mum asked to see the sheet they give to people and it does give tiny info about neutering and vaccinations but I doubt people actually read the care sheet. The water bottles are green and some had no water which we told the people working there! We asked one woman whether the rabbits get let out and she said they were moved every week and let outside but when we asked another woman she said they don't, we stayed there for a week and we once never saw them move :evil: they also sell those stupid novelty hutches like the train and castle if anyones ever seen them :evil:

I've left them a comment. I think it should make national news so they are shamed into improving things.


Edit: I have contacted a few nationals and included all the info. Hopefully one of them will pursue it.

Lea-Anne said:

Maybe you could go and see if any changes have been made in a week or two? I wish I lived closer to do so. Then we will see if they have listened to the RWA or just fobbing us off.

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Was planning a trip with some school mums so can go have a look. May grab some pictures and see if i can get a care sheet they give out too. The girls i'm going with are bunnie lovers too.