The background to this strategy document is that the organisation that was responsible for it was formed over 10 years ago. It was called the Rabbit Welfare Group and was formed as a result of the then ‘England Implementation Group’ (EIG), which reported to Defra.
EIG has since been replaced by the Companion Animal Sector Council (CASC). Originally, the EIG invited several organisations to take part, and the RWAF was one of them. Defra takes feedback from officially recognised groups like CASC because they are seen to represent all recognised stakeholders, and in the case of companion animals, this means that Defra wants the Rabbit Welfare Group to come up with a consensus between owners, welfare and rehoming organisations, retailers, and breeders. This is not easy, as some of the stakeholders (including the RWAF) disagree with other stakeholders in many areas. It is, therefore, very time-consuming and difficult to reach a consensus.
The RWAF has no control over who CASC or Defra recognise as stakeholders. It is up to individual organisations to make sure they are at the table.
The initial purpose of the Rabbit Welfare Group was to produce a rabbit welfare strategy document and, from that, produce the ‘Codes of Practice’ that already existed for cats and dogs, but sadly not for rabbits. Defra stated that they would accept Codes of Practice for rabbits, only if they were produced as a stakeholder group.
It would have been counter-productive for the RWAF to say we were not going to be part of this group because, for example, breeders were involved. It is vital that we have a voice in groups like this so that the welfare of rabbits is kept on the agenda. We don’t expect everyone to agree, but we cannot see any benefit in refusing to engage with organisations whose practices we do not agree with. We will always engage with other organisations and, where necessary, challenge them and hold them to account. We will always push to improve welfare. And more obviously if you want to address breeding and selling as part of the problem, then that needs to be included in the discussions.
It has been a very long and drawn-out process to reach the stage we are now at, which is that the strategy document has been launched. The Codes of Practice were actually launched before the strategy document back in 2021.
There was such a huge delay in getting the strategy document finalised for three reasons:
1 – Because the EIG was disbanded, and when it was replaced and then replaced again, and then there were various personnel changes, this work was not given any priority, and we had to keep pushing for it to start up again.
2 – Because part of the strategy involves reviewing exiting research and legislation, every time it was just about done, there was more research or legislation and it needed to be reviewed and updated.
3 – Because we prioritised getting the Codes of Practice launched in 2021, which was also very time-consuming and difficult for all organisations to reach a consensus.
It is important to say that although we are pleased with the strategy document produced by the group, it does not necessarily reflect the RWAF’s own policies. Those have not changed. We are still a pro-rescue organisation that promotes ‘adopt don’t shop’ and that campaigned heavily for a total breeding amnesty. We are also campaigning for a change in legislation to make rabbit breeders as accountable as dog breeders and see them licenced and inspected. We have raised our concerns about this directly with Defra, and we are in an ongoing conversation with them about this as well as rabbit shows.
Back to the strategy document, this document is, like any strategy document, a map for reaching a goal, in this case improving rabbit welfare.
It starts by setting out a vision for rabbit welfare. The vision is:
- All rabbits have access to an appropriate diet, known to optimise animal health and minimise the risk of disease. This includes having continual access to both good-quality fibre-based material (e.g. hay or fresh grass) to eat and fresh, clean water.
- All rabbits live in an environment which meets their physical, social and behavioural needs (i.e. to run, jump, graze, dig, rest and stand up on their hind legs without their ears touching the roof of their enclosure).
- All rabbits are sold or rehomed to be kept in compatible pairs or groups.
- All rabbits are bred, reared and kept in a way known to maximise their chances of being healthy and minimise their chances of developing a fear of handling and other stimuli. (Again, RWAF does not promote the breeding of rabbits. This is the wording of the agreed strategy from the group as a whole. See below for clarification of our stance)
- All rabbits are given regular preventative health care as recommended by veterinary experts, e.g. vaccinated against myxomatosis and RVHD 1 and 2 (according to current vaccine licence recommendations), treated for internal and external parasites and neutered unless specifically required for breeding. This strategy includes actions aimed at facilitating each group of stakeholders to meet these conditions. The Rabbit Welfare Group seeks for this vision to be reflected in a DEFRA Code of Practice for rabbits in England (codes and guidance for rabbits already exist in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).
- All rabbits are given appropriate and timely veterinary treatment to protect them from pain, disease and suffering.
- All those working with rabbits (including vets, retailers, breeders, rehoming organisations) undertake effective training programmes and have resources available to them on current good practice in housing and husbandry, the promotion of health and welfare, and the management of disease and welfare risks.
- All rabbit health and welfare advice and recommendations are based on international scientific knowledge and professional experience. The veterinary profession offers up-to-date expertise in the recognition, management and prevention of disease and practices to promote good welfare.
The number of rabbits relinquished, and thus requiring rehoming (both privately and via rescue organisations), is minimised.
The very mention of rabbits being bred here has caused some alarm, but we cannot escape the fact that rabbits are bred. It would also be unachievable to expect all breeding to stop. We must be realistic. Of course, in an ideal world – especially when there are so many rescues bursting at the seams with rabbits who need a home – there would be no breeding. We know that the Rabbit Welfare Group as a whole is not going to agree that rabbits should not be bred, regardless of how some individual organisations might feel. Equally, refusing to accept that breeding occurs and leaving it out of the vision and the strategy is not going to do anything to improve welfare in that area. If we want to tackle breeding and push retailers to be better, then we have to meet both head-on. The strategy is a formal plan, and the inclusion of all stakeholders makes them accountable.
That was the vision; the next stage is to review where we are with that vision. This involves reviewing existing evidence and legislation and what is currently going on across all areas that affect rabbits. It can then identify priority areas to improve welfare and meet the vision.
The last stage is the ten priority areas. This is how we see rabbit welfare improving.
Priority 1. Define and promote good housing and husbandry
Priority 2. Determine and promote optimal dietary advice
Priority 3. Describe welfare-compatible social living for rabbits – reducing the number of rabbits living solitarily
Priority 4. Examine and promote best practice for breeding and rearing rabbits well suited to life as a companion
Priority 5. Highlight ways to reduce preventable disease in rabbits
Priority 6. Promote timely and optimal treatment to rabbits with compromised health or welfare
Priority 7. Develop statutory codes of practice for owners and good practice guidance for all those with an interest in rabbits
Priority 8. Review skills and training for those working with rabbits
Priority 9. Seek to balance supply and demand to reduce the number of unwanted rabbits
Priority 10. Set up systems to regularly monitor health and welfare
As things stand now, Priority 7 (the Codes of Practice) has been completed and launched in 2021. The Group is now working on allocating a lead organisation to each remaining priority area. When each priority area from the action plan is allocated, we will let everyone know, and if they would like to be involved in some way, they can contact the relevant organisation.
Again, the inclusion of Priority 4 (best practice for breeding) has caused some alarm, but for the reasons we have already mentioned, it needs to be tackled head-on. We know it is a very emotive area, especially for those of us involved with or who support rescue, but it does need to be tackled as part of the strategy for improving welfare. Education is the key to improving welfare, and that must include breeders and retailers as well as owners.
