• 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.

Anyone Got the Latest Issue of Rabbiting On ?

InspectorMorse

Wise Old Thumper
Just heard that as well as not accepting photos of single Rabbits they will no longer be including photos of Lop Rabbits. Both due to not promoting poor welfare.


Thoughts ?
 
This is extreme imo, especially banning lops.
Why lops and not dwarfs,giant rabbits, angoras, and many other breeds with characteristics that result in health/genetic issues.
These lops will still need to be rescued by loving people who will attend to their special needs.
It would make more sense to educate people by writing articles about challenges of specific breeds so people are prepared for time and financial impact when they adopt certain breeds.
 
This is extreme imo, especially banning lops.
Why lops and not dwarfs,giant rabbits, angoras, and many other breeds with characteristics that result in health/genetic issues.
These lops will still need to be rescued by loving people who will attend to their special needs.
It would make more sense to educate people by writing articles about challenges of specific breeds so people are prepared for time and financial impact when they adopt certain breeds.

I completely agree. I feel it is ridiculous tbh. I can understand the single Rabbit issue. But Lops are certainly not the only breed to have potential breed type health problems.

It all sounds like a PETA campaign to me and it will do nothing to promote Rabbit Welfare. It will just further divide the Rabbit keeping community. If we are gong to these extremes then why publicise Pet Rabbits at all. Rabbits should never have been domesticated in the first place.

The world really has gone mad :roll:
 
I agree, very sad, lots of people take on rescue lops (have had two previously myself). So does this class them as second rate rabbits, and not worthy of the same love, or that owner's are not able to show their love for their rabbits. Will this put people off rescuing them in the future?.. and then what, more being abandoned/dumped?
 
It's pretty similar to the CRUFFA campaign for bracycephalic dogs - the acronym stands for campaign for the responsible use of flat faced dogs in advertising.

The idea being that, the more these breeds (particularly the more extreme examples) are normalised and portrayed as cute in the media, the worse the issue becomes and they're trying to reverse that trend by urging companies to use dogs with a more normal phenotype.

I do see the point - lops have only come about because we've selectively bred them to have lopped ears and a much shorter face, without much thought to the issues caused by squeezing all those teeth into a much smaller space etc.

People see a cute photo of a single rabbit in the mag and think it's OK for them to live alone.... or people see a cute photo of a lop with big floppy ears and a squishy round face and think that's what rabbits should look like. Neither should be normalised, I guess.

I would like to see a multi-pronged approach though and hopefully they're also planning to raise awareness with some articles explaining the health issues with particular breeds.

I realise I probably sound like a total hypocrite, as I've owned lop rabbits and still have a brachy dog but it's about encouraging more moderate examples of those breeds for me, rather than wanting them to disappear altogether.
 
It's pretty similar to the CRUFFA campaign for bracycephalic dogs - the acronym stands for campaign for the responsible use of flat faced dogs in advertising.

The idea being that, the more these breeds (particularly the more extreme examples) are normalised and portrayed as cute in the media, the worse the issue becomes and they're trying to reverse that trend by urging companies to use dogs with a more normal phenotype.

I do see the point - lops have only come about because we've selectively bred them to have lopped ears and a much shorter face, without much thought to the issues caused by squeezing all those teeth into a much smaller space etc.

People see a cute photo of a single rabbit in the mag and think it's OK for them to live alone.... or people see a cute photo of a lop with big floppy ears and a squishy round face and think that's what rabbits should look like. Neither should be normalised, I guess.

I would like to see a multi-pronged approach though and hopefully they're also planning to raise awareness with some articles explaining the health issues with particular breeds.

I realise I probably sound like a total hypocrite, as I've owned lop rabbits and still have a brachy dog but it's about encouraging more moderate examples of those breeds for me, rather than wanting them to disappear altogether.

I have not received my copy of RO yet, but hearing the reaction of some folk who have all it has done is drive previously committed RWAF supporters away.

The point bunny momma makes is very valid. Should pics of Rex Rabbits not feature ( pododermatitis, heart disease), Netherland Dwarfs ( Many are brachy), Giants ( Heart disease, pododermatitis, hip dysplasia, spinal problems) all long haired Rabbits such as Angoras and Cashmeres ( high maintenance coats often leading to health problems) Spotted Gene Rabbits ( Megacolon), I could go on.

These Rabbit Breeds are here to stay, promoting better breeding ( PLEASE DONT START A DEBATE ABOUT BREEDING ON THIS THREAD) to achieve an overall more healthy breed type would be far more useful. The blanket ban is a blunt instrument which will probably do more harm than good.
 
I get not the single buns, no lops seems a bit OTT.. I don't like the rwaf anyway though, seems like something they'd do [emoji38]

(which I know is probably an unpopular opinion)
 
Last edited:
Are rabbit breeds such as dwarf and lop more prone to getting sick?
Not sick in general, but having teeth issues (also root issues etc) because their mouth is too small to actually accommodate all their teeth [emoji51]

It's more than that, I've not explained it well, it's their skull is too small in general iirc [emoji38] Jane will be able to write something better [emoji38]
 
Last edited:
Jane, I appreciate the point re. other breeds. And it's something that gets brought up on CRUFFA quite often too - why pick on frenchies and pugs when gsd's have awful hips and spines etc. Or dachshunds with IVDD. Sometimes it's about picking your battles I suppose - I don't know stats but is it that dental & ear issues are so much more prevalent than the issues affecting other breeds? Or is it that the study I linked to in my last post has just brought the lop issue to the foreground?

It's difficult to comment really without knowing exactly what the mag have said but, arguably, this might actually raise more awareness than if they'd simply published articles on the health issues themselves. Sometimes even getting people talking about something in a negative way helps to get the message out.
 
There was a study recently that found lops are more prone to certain health issues.

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/rese...dental-problems-study-confirms-for-first-time
Yea I think the ear one is very common too. It's a tough one. I'm worried it would put people off adopting lops tho [emoji51] I mean the rabbiting on target market isn't exactly novice bun owners, surely?

Idk, can only speak for myself, but I was concerned taking on Willoughby being a nethie x who looks fairly nethie like. I think keletkezes says he has hooks on his teeth already, and I'm very aware this may mean dentals in the future which I have zero experience with.. So it's a concern!
 
Yea I think the ear one is very common too. It's a tough one. I'm worried it would put people off adopting lops tho [emoji51] I mean the rabbiting on target market isn't exactly novice bun owners, surely?

Idk, can only speak for myself, but I was concerned taking on Willoughby being a nethie x who looks fairly nethie like. I think keletkezes says he has hooks on his teeth already, and I'm very aware this may mean dentals in the future which I have zero experience with.. So it's a concern!
It's a tough one. They probably don't want to put people off adopting them and it's not really the people who are adopting rabbits who need to change. Once the rabbits have been born, bought and then handed in to rescue, there's not much to be done.

Breeding practices need to focus on producing less exaggerated lops and that means breeders need to get on board with that idea but also buyers need to be more educated and choosy when picking one. It's just the question of how best can we make that happen?
 
My two penn'orth: it's the wrong market, surely Rabbiting On! targets people ALREADY interested in general welfare. They should put their efforts into 'casual owners' for want of a better phrase, and the rabbit sales community (breeders, shops, social media etc.). I agree with Graciee that it might put people off wanting to adopt single rabbits (the few that there are) or lops. I also agree that I think lops are unfairly targeted: Nethies are surely worse off? And what about those with genetic megacolon?

I don't disagree with what they're doing but it seems like it's all a bit wrong/misguided/could be better TBH. Like the Woodland Trust 'save every tree' lack of holistic approach.

I also wrote a thing about lop rabbits (shameless self-promotion! Also cute pics of my bunnies :D): https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/hearingsciences/ear-facts/hearing-in-rabbits.aspx It focuses on hearing but does include a list of other lop issues. Lopsy is profoundly deaf so it seemed daft not to write something about him :D
 
My two penn'orth: it's the wrong market, surely Rabbiting On! targets people ALREADY interested in general welfare. They should put their efforts into 'casual owners' for want of a better phrase, and the rabbit sales community (breeders, shops, social media etc.). I agree with Graciee that it might put people off wanting to adopt single rabbits (the few that there are) or lops. I also agree that I think lops are unfairly targeted: Nethies are surely worse off? And what about those with genetic megacolon?

I don't disagree with what they're doing but it seems like it's all a bit wrong/misguided/could be better TBH. Like the Woodland Trust 'save every tree' lack of holistic approach.

I also wrote a thing about lop rabbits (shameless self-promotion! Also cute pics of my bunnies :D): https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/hearingsciences/ear-facts/hearing-in-rabbits.aspx It focuses on hearing but does include a list of other lop issues. Lopsy is profoundly deaf so it seemed daft not to write something about him :D
Yea that's why I think, it's targeting the wrong people. If you're getting rabbiting on, you're paying the rwaf thing, which means you must be somewhat aware of welfare issues..? I mean not everyone I'm sure, but the majority. Could be a play though like Karen suggested. Getting people talking about it... But perhaps the wrong people?

It wouldn't put me off getting a lop, but then I wasn't put off getting a nethie, I was just kinda prepared and I'm on the look out I guess? [emoji38] I don't think I'd ever buy a nethie from a breeder though. Tbh I wouldn't buy a rabbit from a breeder ever again anyway.. But a nethie would be like extremely low on my listsame with a lop or any other dwarf breed bun. Giants too.. Basically most buns.. Tbh with you I don't see myself having rabbits long term, just like I never want another German shepherd. The whole thing makes me sick. I really want to get a dog but it's so tricky.. We've destroyed so many breeds :/ I thought I had it kinda figured out, but because of Evelyn and her skin /allergies we'll be looking for something hypoallergenic now, which is a minefield too [emoji58]
 
I think it is social conditioning - if all you see is uppy eared standard rabbits in groups, that's what you think of as 'normal' and it's then what people aim at, as that is all they have seen as they grow up. So more people own these types, so fewer of the other types are bred, so fewer of the 'type' health issues occur...

It's the same as if you only see 3' hutches filled with wood shavings, that is what you accept as the standard of rabbit care....unless you usually see acommodation meeting current standards.

It's quite a long term project, but I can see why they are doing it. People always tend towards the norm. But I also agree that they are basically preaching to the converted - but you need to start somewhere.

The issue of flat-faced dogs has really taken off with the extreme popularity of these breeds in the last few years - and the ridiculous prices they now fetch. It's a simiar issue, but dog breeds seem to go through massive popularity swings. What was fashionable 5 and 10 years ago (Husky types and teacup / handbag dogs) isn't now. Rabbit breeds are (thankfully) much less prone to fashion swings, but are prone to being kept by people with little knowledge of the hidden issues of different breed types - so if they are pulled towards the standard wild rabbit type, they will be less likely to encounter eg dental issues and the rabbit(s) should have a better quality of life.
 
I get not the single buns, no lops seems a bit OTT.. I don't like the rwaf anyway though, seems like something they'd do [emoji38]

(which I know is probably an unpopular opinion)

They have certainly lost some Supporters over this one. I want to read the statement for myself before making my decision. If it is how others have reported then I will be reconsidering my Membership.

BTW, more people than you think may hold your opinion, they just dare not post about it :lol:
 
They have certainly lost some Supporters over this one. I want to read the statement for myself before making my decision. If it is how others have reported then I will be reconsidering my Membership.

BTW, more people than you think may hold your opinion, they just dare not post about it [emoji38]
Haha that's interesting! Felt like I was the only one [emoji38][emoji38] I've been meaning to cancel for ages tbh, regardless of this.

They do have a lot of decent info on rabbit care though for a novice, so that's a positive [emoji38]
 
Haha that's interesting! Felt like I was the only one [emoji38][emoji38] I've been meaning to cancel for ages tbh, regardless of this.

They do have a lot of decent info on rabbit care though for a novice, so that's a positive [emoji38]

Oh definitely, Rabbit Welfare has progressed a lot thanks to the work of the RWAF. Ijust think with this one they have possibly got it wrong.

People are already reluctant to adopt Lop Rabbits, so this is not going to help that issue.
 
Back
Top