News
Bunnies need your help.
August 09, 2007, 4:14PM MT
By Nora A Livingstone
A message about rabbits and pet shops. Brought to you by Rabbit Advocacy - Animal Matters Site (www.rabbitadvocacyanimalmatters.ca)
A message about rabbits and pet shops. Brought to you by Rabbit Advocacy - Animal Matters Site (www.rabbitadvocacyanimalmatters.ca)
"A recent decision by Petcetera to stop selling baby rabbits in all its British Columbia retail pet store locations was a move in a positive direction for rabbit welfare. The BC SPCA asked Mr. Urbani, President and CEO of Petcetera, to discontinue the sale of baby rabbits as the BC SPCA acknowledged "rescuing" more than 1,700 rabbits each year at its branches. Rabbits are mostly purchased on impulse with little thought or knowledge as to health care or long term commitment. As a result, thousands of rabbits are surrendered to pounds, rescue groups, or are abandoned outdoors each year. To combat the serious overpopulation crisis of dumped rabbits, we ask that pet stores across Canada stop selling rabbits. The indirect consequence of purchasing baby rabbits without adequate knowledge of care needs, exercise requirements, and natural behaviours often results in: - pet abandonment when the novelty and cuteness factors wear off - high death rate for rabbits in overcrowded "shelters" or from predators and other outdoor risks - the presence and/or persistence of feral colonies at dumping sites and sometimes lethal solutions for feral populations
Please support the withdrawal of pet rabbits for sale from retail locations and further encourage the development of pet industry initiatives that focus on companion animal wellbeing, including a retail industry commitment to progressive adoption partnerships with humane organizations or rescue groups."
Want to sign the petition: www.thepetitionsite.com:80/takeaction/948517927
Want to know more? www.petsinneedsociety.ca