DESPITE the UK being a nation of animal lovers, rabbits remain one of the most misunderstood pets when it comes to catering for their welfare needs.

During Rabbit Awareness Week, which this year is running online for two weeks between August 10 and 23, will see the PDSA charity help to raise awareness around rabbits’ five welfare needs. These are the things that all animals need to have met to be healthy and happy: environment, health, diet, companionship and behaviour.

According to the latest PDSA animal wellbeing report nearly half of rabbits in the UK (49%) are kept alone, a quarter (25%) are kept in inadequate housing and a quarter (26%) are given no access to hay in their daily diet. More than two fifths of owners (44%) say they want to change at least one of their rabbits’ behaviours, and less than half have received a primary vaccination course, leaving them at risk of potentially fatal diseases.

PDSA vet Anna Ewer Clarke said: “Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK, after dogs and cats, so the fact that their welfare needs are so frequently not being met is very worrying. Being kept in housing that is too small, with no company and fed incorrect diets is tantamount to them being kept in permanent lockdown – and we know ourselves that isn’t much fun!”

Companionship – rabbits are social pets and need the company has advice on their website about how to do this safely.

Diet – rabbits need constant access to good quality hay or grass – in fact they need their own body size in hay every day!

This is an important source of fibre and also helps to wear down their teeth. They also need a handful of fresh greens morning and evening, and a single tablespoon of rabbit nuggets daily.

For more rabbit advice, go to www.pdsa.org.uk/rabbits.