Animals can live on their own, but if a human decides to raise them as pets, they need to be responsible and carefully take care of them with respect to all their needs, including food, shelter, warmth, etc. There are several species of domesticable animals that require extremely precise care. Rabbits are one of the most sensitive pet animals. Although they seem to be easy animals to take care of, they are actually high-maintenance creatures. They need to be taken care of at specific temperatures, in specific ways, and with specific mechanisms.
So having rabbits as pets is not for everyone. And no one will emphasize this point more than the workers at RSCPA, UK’s largest animal welfare charity. This charity receives calls about uncared-for animals and offers to take care of them and rescue them. It is a sad state of affairs that they receive many such calls on a weekly basis. One such case is that of the Flemish Giant rabbits the charity rescued recently.
Flemish Giant Rabbits
The Flemish Giant Rabbits are a breed of rabbits that are known because they are the largest breed of rabbits to be domesticated. They were raised for utility reasons, for their fur and meat, but they are also raised as pets. These rabbits grow to sizes that are bigger than your average dog. They are very patient and gentle animals that don’t need much to get by. However, they do need basic things for their care, like adequate food, water, sunshine, and space. But what is one to do if they discover that not even these are provided for the rabbits? Call the RSCPA!
Why Did The Flemish Giants Require Rescuing?
The RSCPA received a call that giant rabbits were being kept in unclean conditions. When their team of workers reached there, they were shocked to find 47 Flemish Giant rabbits. The animals were kept in very dirty conditions in a cramped space. Upon having a vet examine them, it was discovered that one of the rabbits had eyesight issues, and another had a wounded neck. Other than these two, the other rabbits were in proper health.
This is why the Flemish Giant rabbits required rescuing. Because although the animals can’t really complainer convey the sorry state of their being, the poor creatures were suffering a lot. Animals that grow to their sizes were being kept in extremely small and unclean areas that would have had a long-term effect on their health. It was very fortunate that the RSCPA went to rescue these rabbits when they did.
What Will Happen To The Flemish Giants Now?
The Flemish Giants will take care of RSCPA until they find individuals who are willing to put in the effort to take care of the rabbits. The RSCPA hopes to relocate the 47 rabbits wherever they can find a good and loving home. Rabbits are very sensitive creatures and require a lot of care and attention. So hopefully, the rabbits will safely find new and dedicated owners like that in the future.
How Can Situations Like These Be Improved?
It is very common for families to adopt pets without research and abandon them when it gets too hard. This causes a lot of problems because animal welfare charities and associations often do not have enough cash to cater to all these animals, and pet shops and barns often do not take them back into their care. It would be much more prudent for individuals to do adequate research first. They must then analyze whether they are able to afford the cost and the commitment. Only after that should they go ahead with adoption or purchase.
This would also require pet stores and such to be proactive in spreading awareness about the effort required in taking care of and handling a pet to make sure the animals don’t end up in the houses of people who cannot take care of them. This will also prevent trauma and pain to the creatures involved. If the wonders of the Flemish Giant rabbits had realized early on that they wouldn’t be able to take care of the rabbits or that the space in their house wouldn’t be enough for the rabbits, then perhaps this entire episode could have been avoided. Cheers to the RSCPA for providing such valuable service and taking care of the creatures.
