In April 2018, The Scottish Government published long awaited Pet Rabbit Welfare Guidelines of which you can download a copy here

This was only achieved thanks to your support and the invaluable team work from other interested welfare groups and bodies.

The Guidance should compliment the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, specifically Part 2 Animal Welfare, Section 24.

Promotion of welfare

Ensuring welfare of animals

(1)A person commits an offence if the person does not take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which the person is responsible are met to the extent required by good practice.

(2)The circumstances to which, for the purposes of subsection (1), regard is to be had include—

(a)any lawful purpose for which the animal is kept,

(b)any lawful activity undertaken in relation to the animal.

(3)For the purposes of subsection (1), an animal’s needs include—

(a)its need for a suitable environment,

(b)its need for a suitable diet,

(c)its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns,

(d)any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals,

(e)its need to be protected from suffering, injury and disease.

The Guidance sets out clear welfare recommendations which surround Housing, Diet, Behaviours, Illness and so on, thus making it easier for improvements to be made to ensure overall quality of life for domestic rabbits.

There’s still a way to go and it is our aim to continue to seek reform on various issues which affect the welfare of rabbits.

Please keep lending your invaluable support to The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) and their many campaigns, together WE can make a difference for our Buns!