Pet rabbits dumped in Pendle field (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen)
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Pet rabbits dumped in Pendle field
8:00am Saturday 2nd March 2013 in News
A WOMAN watched in horror as three pet rabbits were dumped in a field.
Margaret Harrop was out for a walk when she saw the animals being abandoned in a field between Nelson and Trawden on Thursday afternoon.
Together with her friend, Moira Thwaites, and a young dog walker, the trio managed to get the rabbits, a male and two females, into a cat basket Now Moira, who is in her 60s and lives in Kelswick Drive, Colne, is looking after the rabbits, but she is keen to find a new home for them.
She said: “Margaret saw a black 4X4 drive along the top lane at the end of Barkerhouse Road, in Nelson, at around 1pm and drop something over a field.
“When she got closer she saw that three rabbits and around a dozen carrots had just been left in the field.
“I don’t know who would do something like that, they would never have stood a chance had we not found them.
“We managed to get them in the cat basket, we found two of them on the field and the third was hiding under some leaves.
“We took them to the vets and now I have them at my house, along with a greyhound and two cats.
“I can’t really look after them for long because of the greyhound so hopefully someone who really wants them can have them as pets.
“They seem to have been well looked after and are quite healthy. They are definitely pet rabbits, they are very attractive and cuddly.”
Experts say rabbits kept as pets should never be released into the wild, as domestic rabbits are completely incapable of fending for themselves in the wild.
They have lost the ability to know which plants are toxic to them and will also be easy prey for a number of predatory animals.
Ken Harrison, RSPCA branch manager for the Lancashire East area, said: “We have seen an increase in animals like rabbits and ferrets being abandoned in general.
“A lot of people tend to blame the economic climate but I’m not sure that is totally the reason for it.
“I think people often take on animals without thinking about how long they are going to have to look after them and what will be required.
“Rabbits tend to be something people get in the summer but by the time the winter comes and you have to feed them and keep them warm the novelty can wear off.”
