Better Legislation for Rabbits

Rabbits need better protection from legislation and we need YOU to help!

The UK is experiencing the worst rabbit rescue crisis ever. Rescue centres are struggling to cope with the number of rabbits currently being abandoned, mistreated or surrendered. And with the current legislation, this will continue to be the case.

There are already thousands of rabbits waiting in Adoption Centres across the UK. We need better protection for rabbits, not more baby rabbits!

Rabbits face many welfare issues, and we need to tackle them all. But we are asking for YOUR help with this campaign to get better protection in legislation for companion rabbits.

In 2024, we wrote to every Local Authority (LA) and asked them a number of questions relating to the licences that they issue for things like Farm Parks and also breeding and selling. As of February 2025, we have had 226 responses, and only 6 LA’s have issued licenced for rabbit breeders and sellers! So, there are only six licenced rabbit breeders so far.

Compare this to some statistics from Pets4homes, who have less than half of the market share.

From 2018 to 2024, there were 30,711 advertisers and 116,982 (de duped) adverts. If we assume an average of 3 rabbits per advert, because some will be for litters and some for single rabbits, we can guess that there were over 350,000 rabbits for sale over that period. Is there any wonder we are in a welfare crisis?

If we just look at 2024 figures for Pets4Homes, there were 6143 advertisers, with 11,866 (deduped) adverts. Again, using an average of 3 per advert, this gives us a guess of over 35,000 rabbits for sale in 2024, one classified site alone.

But, there are only 6 licences issued for rabbit sellers so far. Something needs to change.

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018

This allows unlicenced rabbit breeders to have multiple litters that they can’t guarantee good homes for and to sell on to for profit. The welfare needs of these rabbits are often not met. The ongoing lack of effective legislation continues to result in too many rabbit breeders having no licence, inspection, or standards.

The result of this is that every year many thousands of baby rabbits end up living alone, in unsuitable accommodation and with an incorrect diet. Rabbits are still being mis-sexed and sold with no proper checks or care information. Unsuspecting owners continue to be faced with accidental litters, which can result in even more rabbits being dumped and the UK’s already over-run Adoption Centres, or worse, sold online with no home checks.

England falls behind Scotland where rabbit breeders are licenced, and Scotland, Wales and N.I where there are statutory Codes of Practice for rabbits.

The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund and its team of veterinary advisers continue to call for government action to curb an ever-increasing rabbit welfare crisis. We believe that rabbits deserve the same breeder licensing protection as dogs.

The RWA&F is calling for three key changes:

A. That the LAIA Regulations be amended to make the breeding of rabbits a licensable activity, and to require all animals that are sold to be correctly sexed.

B. That LAs be provided with additional resources so that the LAIA Regulations can be better enforced.

C. That the Good Practice Code for the Welfare of Rabbits be made a statutory Code of Practice.