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Nick Ferrari on London LBC Radio

Nick Ferrari on London LBC has a house rabbit named Lucy!

I have appealed to him to help us spread the good word this winter...

nick@lbc.co.uk

Dear Nick,

I was happy to hear you also have a house rabbit. My husband and I are proud owners of 12!

Unfortunately the circumstances that led to us having 12 are not very happy in some cases. We have adopted 5 rabbit this year who been handed into rescue centres because their child owners have become bored and others have been removed from their irresponsible owners. Two of them were literally starving to death.
This is the time of year, that people, who bought rabbits for Easter, tire of the commitment. The nights are long, it's cold outside and let's face it....It's no fun cleaning out hutches in the cold and dark!

If you have a chance before Christmas, can you please remind your listeners that...

1. Setting a rabbit "free" means you are giving it a death sentence - foxes, dogs, dehydration etc.
2. Please remember to call your local rabbit rescue if you want to have your rabbit re-homed. Please don't starve your rabbits. If you can't cope, help is available!
3. You can re-home your rabbit using http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/
4. If you feel you have the love and commitment, you can also adopt a rabbit from either the local RSPCA, local rabbit rescue, or Rabbit Rehome. Special mention to Bobtails Rabbit Rescue who currently have over 70 unwanted rabbits looking for safe loving homes. The latest statistic is that there are 30,000 rabbits in rescue in the UK.
5. The rabbit rescues are full to bursting at Christmas and they can always use donations of fresh vegetables and money for vet services. So many rabbits come it to the centres in very bad shape and many of the people who run these centres are volunteers with no funding.
6. The queen should be mentioning in her speech this year a proposed animal welfare bill that will give the RSPCA more power to ensure responsible animal ownership in the UK. I have attached RSPCA published highlights of the bill.

Thanks Nick. I hope you can help somebunny have a safer happier life.
Kind Regards,
Andrea Harding

Why the RSPCA says the new Animal Welfare Bill, which aims to get tough against offenders and prevent animal suffering, should be passed:
As current law stands you can't take any action against anyone until an animal actually suffers. So an inspector can make 25 visits but still can't act to prevent suffering.

As current law stands, you can only take action on an animal offence if the offence has happened within six months prior to it being reported (ie. if a dog lost its legs as a result of abuse, you can't prosecute if it happened seven months ago). The new Bill will expand the time to three years.

There are too many cases of animal suffering that the RSPCA can do nothing about. It must be remembered that the Protection of Animals Act
dates back to 1911. With a new law, RSPCA inspectors believe that many animals currently living in dreadful conditions will be prevented from a lifetime of suffering.

Over the past 93 years, there have been significant changes in social attitudes towards animals, due to greater scientific understanding of
animal health and welfare, and an increased emphasis on the keeping of animals as companions. Just under half of UK households contain a pet of
some sort, and the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, says there are 13 million cats and dogs now kept in the UK.

The public, whether in the town or country, is frustrated at the RSPCAs inability to act on the many, many cases they are alerted to day after day, often unaware the RSPCA can only do what the law allows us to.

Under the new legislation, animal owners would have a responsibility to the animal in their care. If an owner is not meeting their pet's basic welfare needs, the RSPCA would issue written guidance as to how those needs should be met, and a deadline as to when they must be met.
 
Oh I say, very well done - let's hope that things come from it - the more the merrier who can help save buns from suffering.
 
I might even suffer er sorry, listen to, LBC to see if this gets a mention. Brill job Andrea.
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