because they are livestock? because the accomodation is 'temporary' where the kits are concerned? The RSPCA minimum is a guideline only, its not a legal requirement. I doubt breeders would be investigated/fined/prosecuted if their rabbits are kept in small hutches if they are clean and well maintained.
This is the case, if the rabbits are classed as 'livestock' and moreso if they are culling and eating them aswell, they only need to adhere to Defra guidelines. This is the bit that I cannot fathom-animals are entitled to a higher standard of welfare because they are pets:? Even this isn't enforceable in the case of rabbits because of the law surrounding the 'farmed' ones. The Defra legislation needs to state minimum requirements for keeping rabbits in terms of size of enclosure, amount of exercise and natural light, diet and companionship before you stand a chance of imposing it on ordinary pet owners. It is back to front at the moment, breeders/farmers should be exceeding the standards and setting the standard - this would assume that they care about their 'stock' though and that is not the case 99% of the time, money is the motivation the animal's welfare is way down the list of priorities for most if not all back garden breeders, they are selfish people with little or no compassion at all in my opinion.
The legislation that is in place at the moment is equivalent to battery hens, cattle kept in milking sheds, rabbits in breeding hutches- all well below what is actually necessary to be humane and provide a reasonable standard of living for the animal whatever their demise is likely to be or however long it is likely to have to endure the conditions it is born into and forced to lived in. I also think there needs to be leglislation to prevent people 'choosing' to kill their own animals, it is not acceptable that you can kill any animal in this country providing you don't cause
un-necessary suffering. It is completely ridiculous to leave it to people to determine 'suffering' when clearly people can't even work out in their own minds what is humane in terms of accomodation for an animal in this country. It is also ridiculous to assume that people will infact try to ensure there is no suffering involved, surely if someone is capable of that act in the first place it is indicative of a lack of humanity/compassion?
What is interesting Vikkivet is that potentially in this country vets could go out of business if everyone were to be like breeders/farmers and not vaccinate or neuter their pets and instead of getting them treated we just went round whacking them round the head with a spade or breaking their necks-a judge found someone not guilty of cruelty because he decided to kill his cat himself by whacking it with a spade rather than pay a vet to PTS. I mean come on - which way do they want it in this country? Something has to change because animals do deserve protection from cruelty and suffering and if you make a commitment and take on an animal I am sorry but, in my view it is your responsibility to use a vet when the animal needs medical attention or needs to be PTS. People who want to be 'slaughtermen/women' should have to attend a course and demonstrate their ability to do it properly and get a certificate to ensure it is being done humanely.
The whole thing is completely inadequate and out of date and frankly whoever is advising Defra wants locking in the equivalent size enclosure for a month - then see whether they think the size ratio is condusive with mental and physical well-being.
Sorry to waffle on but, this is very sensitve for me at the moment, it has quite recently come to my attention and I am so disappointed in the human race and their attitude towards defenceless animals at the moment, it's appauling and shameful.