Rabbits left in 'desperate' state in County Durham as RSPCA step in
Date of alert:
Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Crime Ref:
Force:
Durham Constabulary
THE RSPCA is appealing after two rabbits were found ‘dumped’ on a green in County Durham earlier this week - leaving the pets in a 'desperate' state.
RSPCA Inspector Emma Stainthorpe and Inspector John Lawson were travelling into Bishop Auckland on Tuesday (May 10) from a different job involving 26 rabbits in the area, when a member of the public saw them and said they had found two rabbits dumped in a field behind some houses.
Emma said: “The white rabbit is a female, and her teeth were severely overgrown, sadly rabbits can be prone to having trouble with their teeth and they can need regular vet appointments to keep them in check.
“If they get bad this can cost a lot of money which may be one of the reasons they have been- abandoned.
“The brown male rabbit fortunately seems in good health.
Rabbits' teeth grow continuously throughout their lives and need wearing down to keep them the correct length and shape, overgrown teeth can be very painful for them. Eating a diet that is high in hay and/or grass can help with this.
The RSPCA is seeing a year-on-year rise in some animals coming into its care amid the cost-of-living crisis - in the first four months of the year the charity took in 344 rabbits compared with 192 in the same period last year.
She added: “I took them straight to a vet to be checked over and they are now being looked after by an RSPCA colleague while they recover.
