An individual who purchased a ‘hostile’ dwarf rabbit on Gumtree was compelled to give it away due to being frightened of the animal.
The woman acquired the 14-month-old Netherland Dwarf rabbit, one of the tiniest breeds, after encountering an advertisement on the renowned website.
Having had the rabbit, named Midge, for six months, she eventually reached out to Croydon Animal Samaritans, expressing her fear to interact with him because of his perceived aggression.
Rachel Parsons, a member of the animal welfare charity in south London, now alerts others about procuring pets on platforms like Gumtree.
She points out the challenge in determining the conditions in which animals have been raised and treated.
Regarding Midge’s situation, she commented, ‘The owner described the rabbit as highly aggressive and prone to biting, so I inquired whether it might be due to nervousness or if it had been neutered, to which she confirmed it had.’
‘They approached the breeder, who was uncooperative and declined to take the rabbit back.’
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She added, ‘We can’t ascertain whether the rabbit had been mistreated; the breeder adamantly denied it, but when questioned about the rabbits’ living conditions, he mentioned they were kept in hatches within a shed.’
‘When the owner arrived to collect Midge, finding him at the doorstep should have raised red flags.’
She criticized the breeder’s involvement with the British Rabbit Council, an entity that organizes rabbit ‘shows’ she deemed ‘extremely cruel.’
‘It’s an antiquated pastime where rabbits are confined in cages, judged akin to baked goods, poked and inspected.’
‘If this rabbit had been utilized for such events, it would have exacerbated its distress.’
She refuted claims that Midge partook in shows.
Rachel has lodged a report against the Gravesend, Kent-based breeder with the British Rabbit Council.
Meanwhile, Midge is under the care of a fosterer affiliated with the nationwide rabbit rescue group, Bunny Angels.
‘He hasn’t displayed any aggression,’ noted Rachel.
‘Though he may lunge for food, he is timid, but signs of improvement are already visible.’
A Gumtree spokesperson stated, ‘Animal welfare is a top priority at Gumtree.’
‘We provide comprehensive guidance to both sellers and buyers on the safe rehoming of pets, with specific advice on integrating small furry companions like rabbits into households.’
‘Our guidelines are formulated in collaboration with renowned animal welfare bodies, such as the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund and the Pets Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG), representing 25 welfare organizations including governmental departments and reputable animal welfare bodies.’
They advised potential rabbit owners to consult the guidelines before making a purchase and encouraged reporting any suspicions about sellers promptly to Gumtree’s helpdesk.
The spokesperson assured, ‘Our specialized safety team diligently investigates and implements necessary measures, like removing listings, banning offenders, or supporting law enforcement inquiries.’
According to Croydon Animal Samaritans, over 100,000 rabbits are currently housed in rescue facilities throughout the UK.
Contact our news team via email at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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