Did you know its Rabbit Awareness Week? Check out these great posts from our Small Animal Department Team

Submitted by Steve on 14:43, 1st Jul, 2023 | 0

Between 26^th June and 3^rd July 2023 Rabbit Awareness Week is being celebrated.

The GSPCA has seen a huge increase in rabbits in recent years so much so we have been having to build additional facilities for the 40+ in our care.

Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said “This week is Rabbit Awareness Week and the Small Animal Department Team Ollie Bourgaize and Alex Solusby have been busy putting together great posts and updates to promote the many rabbits in our care and all the welfare challenges and needs we see with rabbits in Guernsey.”

“We now see more rabbits needing homes than dogs or cats in a year and we currently have over 40 in need of loving homes.”

“Rabbits can make fantastic pets both in the home or if you can facilitate what they need in an outside space.”

“Rabbits are often referred to as the forgotten pet as we often see those bought then left in a small hutch outside with very little care and every year we deal with calls to rabbits suffering and not being given all they need.”

"In recent years including wild rabbits we have seen over 500 in need of help which is a huge challenge especially as many suffer with various diseases we see from HVD to myxi."

Lorna Chadwick GSPCA Animal Welfare Manager said “We do see many fantastic rabbit owners but sadly we also are called out to rabbits that aren’t being cared for.”

“If you have any concerns about the care of a rabbit or any animal you can call us to report it on 257261.”

Steve continued – “There are many ways to support and help rabbits in our care from adopting one to sponsoring one, donating towards our new small animal department to sharing the posts online.”

“This year is our 150^th celebrations and to get involved with lots of ways to support our work please visit https://www.gspca.org.gg/page/gspca-celebrating-150-years .”

To donate to the new Small Animal Section please go to https://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/easter-bunny-build-appeal-%E2%80%93-please-donate-help-us-build-small-animal-department

To become an Angel Pen Pal Sponsor and help those in our care each month check out http://www.gspca.org.gg/sites/default/files/Angel%20sponsor%20form%20special%202018%20new.pdf

To see some of those in need of a home check out https://www.gspca.org.gg/animals

Check out these great posts from our Facebook page created by Ollie and Alex -

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? The 26th – 30th of June is Rabbit Awareness Week! The theme this year is Neutering; Protect and Prevent, and we will be sharing posts every day this week sharing information about the importance of neutering, as well as some other important educational info on rabbit health and care. We will also be posting about some of the rabbits we have available for adoption! To see all of the rabbits we currently have available for adoption, please go to our website: https://www.gspca.org.gg/animals/rabbits

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? – Neutering!

At the GSPCA we strongly encourage neutering your rabbits, and all of ours are neutered before adoption.

There are so many reasons why neutering and spaying your bunnies is so important. Not only does it prevent unwanted breeding, and make bonding easier, but it also has a lot of health benefits, especially for females.

For male bunnies:

- It can help reduce aggression

- Removes risk of developing cancer

- Usually makes litter training easier

- Stops them from spraying to mark territory

- Makes bonding with other rabbits easier

For female bunnies:

- Prevents them from becoming pregnant. Rabbits can give birth to up to 14 kits! And can become pregnant again immediately after. They can become pregnant from 4 months of age.

- Some unspayed female rabbits are territorial and aggressive to their owners and other rabbits, spaying can help reduce this.

- Unspayed female rabbits are at an incredibly high risk of developing uterine cancer. 40% of unspayed females will develop uterine cancer by 2 years of age, and the likelihood increases as they get older.

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? – A hutch is not enough!

For a long time, hutches have been seen as the main housing option for rabbits, but unfortunately on their own, they are unsuitable and inappropriate enclosure options. Did you know that rabbits were first kept in hutches by the Victorians when they were kept for meat? Education and understanding of the needs of rabbits has come a long way since then.

Hutches can still be used as part of a rabbit set up, as they can be good as their sleeping area, but they should always have an ample run area attached. Other good housing options are using sheds, aviaries, summerhouses, or having indoor rabbits!

They need 24/7 access to a large living space, as rabbits are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dusk and dawn. They need to be able to express their natural behaviors, such as running, jumping, binkying and standing up straight on their hind legs. The minimum recommended space for rabbits by the RWAF is 3 x 2 meters, by 1 meter high.

(Attached image from the RWAF website)

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? – The Bunny Hop Hill rabbits are looking for homes! We have many rabbits out on our Bunny Hop Hill who have been looking for a home for a long time, they have all been here for between 1 – 5 years! Unfortunately, these rabbits are often overlooked as they are more nervous of people, as some of them are wild, half wild, or came from a more troubled background. They all have their own personalities and needs, and would all benefit from kind, patient and understanding owners. These are all the rabbits we currently have on Bunny Hop Hill that are available for adoption: - Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup - Flopsy, Mopsy and Benji - Hazel and Lavender - Butterscotch and Trixie - Crepe Suzette and Mrs Barley Sugar For more information all these rabbits, please visit our website here: https://www.gspca.org.gg/animals/rabbits If you think you could provide a forever home for any of these bunnies, please email [email protected] , or call us on 257261

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? - Neutering: Stray rabbits

At the GSPCA we have many stray rabbits come through our doors each year. The vast majority of stray female bunnies that come to us are unspayed, and we have had several in the past year who had mated with wild rabbits while lost, and later gave birth to litters at the shelter. None of these stray mums were reclaimed by their owners.

This means that many of the rabbits we have at the shelter are half-wild, half-domestic rabbits, like Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, who are often overlooked by those looking to adopt rabbits because of their more nervous personalities. Many half-wild rabbits can stay at the shelter for years, or even their entire lives.

Rabbits can give birth to up to 14 kits at a time and become pregnant again immediately afterwards. Because of this, we urge people with rabbits, or those considering adopting a rabbit, to ensure that their female rabbits are spayed to prevent unwanted pregnancy, especially in the event of your rabbit escaping her enclosure, as there is already a large overpopulation of rabbits needing homes both in Guernsey and in UK animal rescue shelters.

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? – Vaccinations!

Having your rabbits vaccinated is vital to their health and well-being. The main things rabbits are vaccinated for locally are RHD 1 & 2, and Myxomatosis. This is commonly done in 1 combination vaccine. These vaccines must have boosters done every year.

RHD and RHD are 2 strains of Rabbit Hemorrhaging Disease, they are highly contagious, show little to no symptoms, and unfortunately cause death in most cases. They’re spread through contact of contaminated objects.

Myxomatosis, otherwise commonly referred to as Myxi, is also highly contagious and deadly. It is spread through biting insects such as fleas and mites. It can also be spread through contact from rabbit to rabbit, or environmental contamination. Myxi does show symptoms, which are most obviously noticed affecting the eyes and nose, causing redness, swelling and discharge. It is incredibly prevalent in Guernsey, and last year we saw hundreds of wild rabbits unfortunately suffer and die because of it. There is no cure for Myxi, and so vaccination is key to preventing your rabbit from catching it. Vaccinations for your rabbits can easily be booked with your vet.

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? – Pairs of bunnies available for adoption! We have a few lovely rabbit pairs currently looking for their forever homes! - Freyja and Hash Brown, who are mother and daughter - Crumpet and Toast, who are brothers - Ivy and Pudding, who have recently been paired together! For more info on these three pairs, please see their pages on our website: https://www.gspca.org.gg/animals/rabbits If you’re interested in any of these bunnies, please email [email protected] or call us on 257261

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? – Bunny bonding and companionship!

Rabbits are social animals, and the vast majority of them thrive in pairs or groups! It also means they have constant companionship when we are away from them. They also provide entertainment, comfort and grooming to each other in a way that human owners can’t replicate.

Bonding can be a complex process, and take many months, but sometimes it can be a ‘love at first sight’ situation. Either way, the end results of a successful bond are always worth however long it takes.

We’ve bonded many rabbits at the GSPCA, the most recent being Ivy and Pudding! Ivy is a male albino rabbit, and Pudding is a female dutch. Both were neutered prior to starting the bonding process, given time to heal and for their hormones to calm down. For a while they lived in pens next to each other, and we also did ‘bunny dates’ where they spent supervised time together before we felt happy leaving them alone together. These two bunnies are now infatuated with each other, and can constantly be relaxing together, sharing meals, or grooming each other. Ivy has also helped Pudding to become more confident, and comfortable with human interaction.

They are currently available for adoption together! For more info, or if you’re interested in this lovely pair, please email [email protected] or call us on 257261

Rabbit Awareness Week 2023 ???????? - Single bunnies looking for homes (and friends!) We have lots of single bunnies ready and waiting for adoption! Ideally, we’d love to find them a home that already has a rabbit, or multiple, so that they have company. These are all of the lone bunnies we currently have available for adoption: - Luna - Daphne - Mojo Jojo - Pop Tart - Colin - Daisy - Nibbles For more information all these rabbits, please visit our website here: https://www.gspca.org.gg/animals/rabbits If you think you could provide a forever home for any of these bunnies, please email [email protected], or call us on 257261

To see all the posts and pictures please visit

https://www.facebook.com/GuernseySPCA

Donate

Donate by calling 01481 257261, by post to GSPCA, Rue des Truchots, St Andrews, Guernsey GY6 8UD or online https://giving.gg/donate/charity/2/Guernsey-Society-for-the-Prevention-of-Cruelty-to-Animals-(GSPCA)

GSPCA Celebrates 150 years in 2023

This year the GSPCA celebrate 150 years and to find out more please check out https://www.gspca.org.gg/page/gspca-celebrating-150-years

Sponsored Event

Why not create your own sponsored event or challenge - https://giving.gg/donate/charity/2/Guernsey-Society-for-the-Prevention-of-Cruelty-to-Animals-(GSPCA)

For lots more ideas why not visit our fundraising page www.gspca.org.gg/fundraising

Wish List

Check out our wish list page from the smallest of items to our biggest of projects there are many ways to support us - http://www.gspca.org.gg/about/our-plans-wish-list

To visit our Amazon Wish list to see some of the items we need to help the wildlife please visit - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/25MJPPDAGXHL1?type=WishList

GSPCA Wildlife Hospital Appeal

To make a direct donation please visit - https://giving.gg/donate/event/4618/Please-Support-the-GSPCA-Wildlife-Hospital-Appeal

To Buy a Brick in the new Wildlife Hospital and download a leaflet please click here - http://www.gspca.org.gg/sites/default/files/Buy%20a%20Brick%20Wildlife%20Hospital.pdf

Larger donors or corporates may want to make a larger donation and become an Exclusive Build Partner and to find out more please visit - http://www.gspca.org.gg/page/gspca-exclusive-build-partner

Legacies & Bequests

By leaving a gift to the GSPCA in your Will really helps us to improve the lives of animals into the future. After providing for those you care for, please consider leaving a proportion of what remains to the GSPCA it is so appreciated and makes a real lasting legacy.

A gift like this to the GSPCA ensures our animals and those in Guernsey will always have someone to keep them safe. To find out more please http://www.gspca.org.gg/about/gifts-wills-and-funding

Gift Aid on Donations over £500

To find out about the States of Guernsey tax relief information on gift aid up to 2020 on donations totalling between £500 and £5000 please see the details by going to https://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=2617&p=0

2021 gift aid is from £500 and up to £7500 and here are the details - https://www.gov.gg/article/151830/Income-tax-relief

To download the form to claim for 2020 or before please follow this link https://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1994&p=0

Become a sponsor and GSPCA member

Why become an Angel Pen Pal Sponsor and support our work each month please visit - http://www.gspca.org.gg/sites/default/files/Angel%20sponsor%20form%20special%202018%20new.pdf

To become a Corporate Angel Pen Pal form for your business to sponsor animals in our care each year please click here http://www.gspca.org.gg/sites/default/files/Corporate%20Angel%20Pen%20Pal%20sponsor%20formnew.pdf

Share our posts and follow us on social media

Many of you will have seen us on social media and your support liking and sharing our posts is really appreciated, and to visit our social media pages please go to

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GuernseySPCA

Twitter https://twitter.com/GSPCA

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gspca-guernsey-965b0751/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gspca_guernsey/

Subscribe to our Supporters Newsletter

To subscribe to our supporters newsletter and find out about upcoming events and news please go to https://us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9324335c87c8b3ec9f0016f2a&id=e61c951a08

Below are our usual opening times but these are occasionally adjusted to ensure we provide the best of care for the animals and those needing our 24/7 help, in an emergency please call 01481 257261

	Reception & Shop area	Collecting/Dropping Off Boarding Dogs & Cats	Viewing animals for adoption	Emergencies Call 257261 or the Shelter is manned 24/7	GSPCA Charity Shop in Smith Street
Monday’s	9am – 5pm	11am – 4pm	11am – 4pm	24/7	8am - 530pm
Tuesday’s	9am – 5pm	11am – 4pm	11am – 4pm	24/7	8am - 530pm
Wednesday’s	9am – 5pm	11am – 4pm	11am – 4pm	24/7	8am - 530pm
Thursday’s	9am – 5pm	11am – 4pm	11am – 4pm	24/7	8am - 530pm
Friday’s	9am – 5pm	11am – 4pm	11am – 4pm	24/7	8am - 530pm
Saturday’s	9am – 5pm	11am – 4pm	11am – 4pm	24/7	8am - 530pm
Sunday’s	11am – 4pm	11am – 4pm	11am – 4pm	24/7	Closed
Bank Holiday’s (Varied times)	Possibly 11am – 4pm	Possibly 11am – 4pm	Possibly 11am – 4pm	24/7	Closed unless advertised