The organisers of Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) are urging veterinary practice teams to get involved by downloading a range of free resources to help them run their own RAW events.
RAW will take place from 26 to 30 June and resources available will help promote the theme of this year’s event, which is “Neutering: Protect and Prevent”.
According to the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, around 80% of unneutered female rabbits develop uterine tumours after the age of three years.
Welfare needs
One of the promotional messages for this year’s campaign.
Suzanne Moyes, deputy managing director and in-house vet at Burgess Pet Care, one of the organisers of RAW, said: “We know that the vet community plays an important role in ensuring that owners have access to the right information about rabbits’ welfare needs, which is why we are urging as many practices as possible to support RAW.
“You can either sign up to receive one of our limited number of free RAW vet packs in hard copy, or you can download a free RAW vet pack. Both are full of resources, including rabbit care guides, health logs and printable posters, so that you can put together your own campaign.”
‘Wonderful creatures’
One of the practices involved in this year’s RAW is Plymouth Veterinary Group, where rabbit owners will be offered discounts on vaccines and neutering, as well as free nurse consults and information about rabbits.
Dr Moyes added: “Given the increase in demand for rabbit ownership in the UK in recent years, it is really important that we educate as many owners as possible, so that these wonderful creatures can live the life they deserve, in the right environment.”
RAW is the result of a collaboration between Burgess Pet Care, RSPCA, Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, Woodgreen Pets Charity, Blue Cross, and Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare.
Credit to: Free resource packs available for RAW 2023 (Vet Times)
Vet Times. (2023). Free resource packs available for RAW 2023 [online]
Available at: https://www.vettimes.co.uk/news/free-resource-packs-available-for-raw-2023/