# Is your vet rabbit friendly?



## RWAF (Feb 22, 2011)

Is your vet rabbit friendly? The RWAF holds a list of rabbit friendly practices. To be included on the list, vets must be members of the RWA AND complete a questionnaire that gives us some information about their practice so that we can gain an idea of how rabbit friendly they are. We need a named vet at the practice also, as not all vets in the practice may be as good as others with rabbits.

If you think your vet is good, and would like them to be on the rabbit friendly vet list please ask them to join and we will send them a questionnaire. Other benefits of joining are here:
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/RWAVETMEMBERSHIPINFO.pdf

They can join on line here:
Join the RWA - Veterinary Practice Subscription from Bunny Bazaar, Pet Supplies & Gifts UK

We also have an International Vet membership that enjoys the same benefits as UK vet practices.
Join the RWA - International Veterinary Membership Subscription from Bunny Bazaar, Pet Supplies & Gifts UK


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## Guest (Nov 20, 2012)

Can I ask why the vet has to actually pay membership to the RWAF just so they can go onto your list?

Surely so long as the questionnaire is filled out correctly and the right answers are given then they should go onto your list regardless of membership status?

I have an extremely rabbit savvy vet but I can guarantee they won't pay membership just to get onto a list 


Personally I go by experience from rabbit owners before choosing a vet, a list wouldn't have made any difference to me


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## RWAF (Feb 22, 2011)

We offer a very cost effective package...please do have a look at the details on the links given. All of this costs us a great deal to do and to maintain and their membership supports this. Parts of it ensure that member vets remain up to date with all that is going on in rabbit medicine and care...discount at the conference, and the quarterly newsletter from Richard Saunders for example. While a practice may well be great at the time of getting onto the list, a few months/years down the line, without these things, they can very easily fall behind, especially if the original named vet leaves. In order to ensure their level of knowledge stays good, we need them to join and have access to these things. Membership means that all their rabbit clients benefit from that knowledge and from having access to Richard as a free referral service.

The membership fee is minimal when you consider how much it would cost them just to appear in Yellow Pages, for example, and this is targeted at rabbit owners. It is also tax deductible, so is going to cost the practice hardly anything at all once that is taken into account.

It's not much to ask for the number of rabbit owning clients it's going to bring to their practice.


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

We just have a vet, not a rabbit vet. He's nice enough, but prefers larger animals.


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## Louiseandfriends (Aug 21, 2011)

NO vet will pay to go on a list. I suggest you rethink. xx


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

nice to see you putting money before rabbit welfare, i strongly suggest you shoud rethink this, as a welfare association surely it should be your main concern to make sure people know where to go to find a rabbit savy vet, rather then where to go to find a vet who wants to fill your pockets.....

as a welfare figure for rabbits this has majorly lowered your standing in mine, and im sure many others, veiws.....


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## RWAF (Feb 22, 2011)

Sadly, as with any other charity, the RWAF does not have a bottomless pit of money. What we are offering vets, so that their practice stays well informed and up to date with medical and care advances, will benefit their customers, and therefore their practice, as we are sure they will recognise. We have to finance all of this, and the only way we can do so is by their joining us. Their clients and clients' rabbits will further benefit from the opportunity to refer to Richard as often as needed.

Our aim, as always, is to benefit as many rabbits as possible, in the most efficient way possible, and having vets who we know have access to great up-to-date information, and have the backup Richard can provide seems to us a good way of achieving this. It means that being able to give anyone who asks, not just RWA members, information about those vets, gives as many rabbits as possible information in which they can be confident regarding which vets are rabbit friendly.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

yes you can still offer vets the option to stay up to date with rabbit welfare and health by participating in your seminars, but the cost £400, is rediculas, i doubt you will get many at that price!
having a vet have to PAY to be regarded as a decent vet is a load of bull, yes you are a charity, no you dont have infinate money, but your main aim IS, or atleast we are lead to believe is, to promote rabbit welfare, and surely a huge step in promoting rabbit welfare is for EVERY one to have acses to a good, reliable, list of rabbit savy vets? not just vets that have the money to pay you for you to say they are good vets.....

you really havent thought this idea out in terms of rabbit welfare, the only thought that has gone into this is lining your own pockets


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Isn't it bad enough that you have to be a member to even see the list of rabbit savvy vets. Surely thats enough without making the poor vets pay as well to be classed as good. I have an amazing vet who has saved the lives of more than one of my rabbits but I'm sure he'd want to pay to effectively be given the title of rabbit savvy. 

At the end of the day isn't the whole idea of your existance to promote rabbit welfare to get as many rabbits the right care they deserve. Shouldn't the information be available to everyone to help as many rabbits as possible? We are still in a resession(can't spell tonight) after all and not everyone can afford to become a member both vets and the average person just to see a list of vets. 

Besides I go by word of mouth to find a good vet, and my current vet was recommended by a local rescue who use them. Its a shame my vet is going to retire soon and I'm dreading it but I'll again go by word of mouth if I need to change rather than a list.


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## Louiseandfriends (Aug 21, 2011)

RWAF said:


> *the only way we can do so is by their joining us.*


Well I can promise you, this way will NOT work!

May be think about selling good merchandise that people want, offering boarding, rabbit 'psychologists,' (a bit like they do for dogs), doing cake sales etc.

Unfortunately, all charity organisations never do earn a lot of money. That's just the way things are. You're intention is to help rabbits, not to earn money.


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## Guest (Nov 20, 2012)

I find it amazing that other rabbit rescues are capable of compiling recommend vets list at a cost of nothing 

Sorry even after reading the links I don't get it and I can see your list missing out some excellent vets because they won't want to pay membership.


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## RWAF (Feb 22, 2011)

Kammie said:


> Shouldn't the information be available to everyone to help as many rabbits as possible? We are still in a resession(can't spell tonight) after all and not everyone can afford to become a member both vets and the average person just to see a list of vets.


Information from the vet list is available to anyone who contacts us, as previously stated. It is not exclusive to RWA members.



Lil Miss said:


> yes you can still offer vets the option to stay up to date with rabbit welfare and health by participating in your seminars, but the cost £400, is rediculas,


The Conference costs vets £100 or £150 depending on whether or not they are members, a fraction of the cost of training by other providers, but of equal quality.

Perhaps instead of making assumptions, it would be a good idea to ask your vets whether or not they consider the price good value for money?


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

RWAF said:


> *Information from the vet list is available to anyone who contacts us, as previously stated. It is not exclusive to RWA members.*
> 
> The Conference costs vets £100 or £150 depending on whether or not they are members, a fraction of the cost of training by other providers, but of equal quality.
> 
> Perhaps instead of making assumptions, it would be a good idea to ask your vets whether or not they consider the price good value for money?


You might want to change your website then as I can't see the vet list you advertise on there without being a member and logging in. I used to be a member but can't afford it this year. After seeing this I doubt I'll be sending you anymore money, quite off putting that you care more about getting money than helping every single rabbit. I can think of a better place for it to go... My local rescue who go out of their way to help any rabbit despite the costs. They can give me a list of good vets for free and never turn anyone away.


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2012)

RWAF said:


> Information from the vet list is available to anyone who contacts us, as previously stated. It is not exclusive to RWA members.
> 
> The Conference costs vets £100 or £150 depending on whether or not they are members, a fraction of the cost of training by other providers, but of equal quality.
> 
> Perhaps instead of making assumptions, it would be a good idea to ask your vets whether or not they consider the price good value for money?


No it isn't, there is no such list on your site unless a member logs in 

The £400 came from me because that is what I had been told you were charging for your Cambridge conference, however after looking at your poster I see I was mis-informed BUT £60 (for members), £90 (for non members) and then £190 for non member vets is a ridiculous price. In fact I know of 30 people that you priced out of that conference alone 

I have showed my vet this as I was there this morning and they said exactly what I expected, they have no need to pay to get onto a list 

Answer me this please.... How come Bunnies Buddies can hold a lecture at DICK vets with three vets (sometimes more) doing talks on certain subjects.
There was even a comprehensive talk on the combi vaccination (funny enough I didn't have to be a member of anything to get info from them about the combi unlike yourself who said you would talk to Richard about my questions and then said that you had the answer but I wasn't allowed it unless I paid membership to get Rabbiting On, so you kinda lost my support that day). They hold lectures once or twice a year at the moment and they charge a massive sum of £7  and for that you get home baking & coffee (no extra cost) and a chance to chat to the vets and buddies volunteers and a raffle, all the money then goes back INTO the rescue to directly help rabbits 
And they also have a recommended vets list all compiled for free 

If you can't see why some members have expressed concern over this then I'm not sure what else to say, but I will say that your prices cut a HUGE chuck or rabbit owners that you could be reaching and making a difference but £35 per year PLUS £60 for a conference is just taking the micky I'm afraid....

I am very interested to know if the RWAF has directly helped any UK rescues? Do you donate any money at all or is it all used for glossy leaflets?


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## RWAF (Feb 22, 2011)

The members area no longer exists as the homepage of our website indicates. The vet list is available to anyone who phones our helpline or writes to me at [email protected]

Thank you all for your observations.

Please all be good enough to show the original mail, which is not full of misinformation, to your vets, ask them to consider for example how much a Yellow Pages ad costs by comparison and how little they get out of that, and consider whether or not membership is worthwhile to them.

If anyone wants to discuss this further please email me direct


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2012)

Why would Joe Blogs think to phone the RWAF for a recommended vets list?

Oh well I have no interest in emailing direct especially as my questions are brushed off all the time, I will continue to rave about my vet but I'm afraid other charities now have my full support because they are seen to directly help rescues and have rabbit welfare at the forefront of their mind.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

I'm in full agreement with Bernie. 

I'd like to know how my money has been spent by you? I used to be a member for a number of years as I said before but I've not renewed this year and don't think I will do again now. 

Not that many average people will have heard of the RWAF and therefore wouldn't even know they could contact you for a vet list. Why not just put the list on your website and have it available to all? That way if people do come across your site they can see advertised a list of vets. At the moment no one knows to contact you directly for a list, at least I can't find anywhere on your rather confusing site where it says to contact you for a list, all I find is a members area that needs you to log in to see a list.

Bernie where are the conferences you know of? I'm quite interested, never bothered with the RWAF ones because they're far to expensive with paying for travel on top. 

Like I said before I'd rather give my money to somewhere I know it gets used for the actual cause aka rabbit welfare. Can I ask, how much do the people that run this charity get paid and where that money comes from? I know at least the person at the top gets paid so don't deny it. I know the rescue where my money will now be going take nothing for themselves and even use their own savings for the rescue.


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## SammyJo (Oct 22, 2012)

RWAF said:


> We offer a very cost effective package...please do have a look at the details on the links given. All of this costs us a great deal to do and to maintain and their membership supports this. Parts of it ensure that member vets remain up to date with all that is going on in rabbit medicine and care...discount at the conference, and the quarterly newsletter from Richard Saunders for example. While a practice may well be great at the time of getting onto the list, a few months/years down the line, without these things, they can very easily fall behind, especially if the original named vet leaves. In order to ensure their level of knowledge stays good, we need them to join and have access to these things. Membership means that all their rabbit clients benefit from that knowledge and from having access to Richard as a free referral service.
> 
> The membership fee is minimal when you consider how much it would cost them just to appear in Yellow Pages, for example, and this is targeted at rabbit owners. It is also tax deductible, so is going to cost the practice hardly anything at all once that is taken into account.
> 
> It's not much to ask for the number of rabbit owning clients it's going to bring to their practice.


I work for a company with a very similar sales pitch, and the old 'Yellow pages would cost you more' line.. :lol:

Vets are recommended by word of mouth and forums (like this one) etc.

The targeted audience would not look for a list or trust a list. 

Just my personal opinion after having worked in the advertising market for many years...


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2012)

Kammie said:


> Bernie where are the conferences you know of? I'm quite interested, never bothered with the RWAF ones because they're far to expensive with paying for travel on top.


Buddies Bunnies is based in Fife and the conferences are held at DICK vets which is in Edinburgh. 
Even if Edinburgh is a bit of a trek it is well worth the travel with all the info you receive and the fact that ticket prices are only £7

I know Richard Saunders is a good vet but he isn't the ONLY rabbit expert in the country 

You know what this has actually sparked me to have a word with a few people, maybe some of us could set up conferences that are more central so that more people in the south can attend hmmmmmm........


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

your just digging yourselves in deeper

why would someone who isnt rabbit savy phone you to look for a vet? they are most likely to hit google and try google the information, why did you get rid of the list when you got rid of the members area? why not just make it public instead? all any of your posts in this thread have done is reveal just what your true goals are, money, not rabbit welfare.

i too would be interested to see how the money you have taken, supposedly for rabbit welfare, has been used to benefit the lives of any rabbit..... 
maybe you should make these figures public


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

B3rnie said:


> Buddies Bunnies is based in Fife and the conferences are held at DICK vets which is in Edinburgh.
> Even if Edinburgh is a bit of a trek it is well worth the travel with all the info you receive and the fact that ticket prices are only £7
> 
> I know Richard Saunders is a good vet but he isn't the ONLY rabbit expert in the country
> ...


Its a shame its so far. I'm in London and travelling that far with a toddler won't be an easy feat.

You should so set something up down south.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

so as they seem so unwilling to answer our questions of where their money goes me and bernie did our own digging, as im sure everyone is aware, a charity by law has to show where all their money comes from and goes to, and if asked they have to show this information....
well as they were so unwilling to answer, we found it our selves
Charity overview

from the 31st march 2011 to 31st jan 2012 they have recived £11,658 alone from these confrences......

have a look here, at page 4
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends89/0001085689_ac_20110331_e_c.pdf

and you will see just how little of the money they recive is actually spent on helping actual rabbits


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

oh and i forgot to say, the sponser a bunny thing, that looks to be the only money going to help rescue rabbits looks to be this
Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund

so not them actually donating themselves, its people donating to them to donate to a rescue...


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Lil Miss said:


> so as they seem so unwilling to answer our questions of where their money goes me and bernie did our own digging, as im sure everyone is aware, a charity by law has to show where all their money comes from and goes to, and if asked they have to show this information....
> well as they were so unwilling to answer, we found it our selves
> Charity overview
> 
> ...


Thats just wrong! For a charity that makes out it cares so much about animal welfare, they very little on actually doing something about it.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Lil Miss said:


> so as they seem so unwilling to answer our questions of where their money goes me and bernie did our own digging, as im sure everyone is aware, a charity by law has to show where all their money comes from and goes to, and if asked they have to show this information....
> well as they were so unwilling to answer, we found it our selves
> Charity overview
> 
> ...


Well done you both...that makes interesting reading.


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## dotdotdot (Nov 21, 2012)

The RWAF does a lot of campaigning in areas such as trying to get retailers to no longer stock small hutches etc. They are not a rescue organisation they are a WELFARE charity and they are trying to improve the lives of every rabbit in the UK not just the ones in rescue by helping to educate owners and the general public in good rabbit welfare. This, will obviously, assist in (hopefully) reducing the numbers of rabbits that end up in rescue as people will understand more about their needs and make a considered decision before they even bring a rabbit home.

So no, they do not have a "physical" rescue setting but they do a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes which is going to make a difference - maybe not in the immediate short term (ie. taking a rabbit away from an undesirable situation) but in the long term which is equally, if not more, important.


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2012)

dotdotdot said:


> The RWAF does a lot of campaigning in areas such as trying to get retailers to no longer stock small hutches etc. They are not a rescue organisation they are a WELFARE charity and they are trying to improve the lives of every rabbit in the UK not just the ones in rescue by helping to educate owners and the general public in good rabbit welfare. No one said they were a rescue. This, will obviously, assist in (hopefully) reducing the numbers of rabbits that end up in rescue as people will understand more about their needs and make a considered decision before they even bring a rabbit home.
> 
> So no, they do not have a "physical" rescue setting but they do a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes which is going to make a difference - maybe not in the immediate short term (ie. taking a rabbit away from an undesirable situation) but in the long term which is equally, if not more, important.


I'm fully aware of what the RWAF set out to do but I'm afraid your post doesn't even come close to addressing our concerns.


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## Louiseandfriends (Aug 21, 2011)

I thought this charity was for a really good cause. I'm not too sure now. :/


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

dotdotdot said:


> *The RWAF does a lot of campaigning in areas such as trying to get retailers to no longer stock small hutches etc.* They are not a rescue organisation they are a WELFARE charity and they are trying to improve the lives of every rabbit in the UK not just the ones in rescue by helping to educate owners and the general public in good rabbit welfare. This, will obviously, assist in (hopefully) reducing the numbers of rabbits that end up in rescue as people will understand more about their needs and make a considered decision before they even bring a rabbit home.
> 
> So no, they do not have a "physical" rescue setting but they do a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes which is going to make a difference - maybe not in the immediate short term (ie. taking a rabbit away from an undesirable situation) but in the long term which is equally, if not more, important.


How come theres no progress so far with all the money thats gone into it? Every pet shop I walk into still has shoe box size hutches, rabbits kept in horrible glass boxes with sawdust and either overflowing bowls of food or none at all. Theres a pet shop local to me that sells a hutch that litterally is no bigger than a shoe box, none of my fully grown rabbits would fit inside it let alone move around yet its sold as a rabbit hutch.

I'd quite like some evidence of what has so far been achieved by this charity.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

dotdotdot said:


> The RWAF does a lot of campaigning in areas such as trying to get retailers to no longer stock small hutches etc. They are not a rescue organisation they are a WELFARE charity and they are trying to improve the lives of every rabbit in the UK not just the ones in rescue by helping to educate owners and the general public in good rabbit welfare. This, will obviously, assist in (hopefully) reducing the numbers of rabbits that end up in rescue as people will understand more about their needs and make a considered decision before they even bring a rabbit home.
> 
> So no, they do not have a "physical" rescue setting but they do a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes which is going to make a difference - maybe not in the immediate short term (ie. taking a rabbit away from an undesirable situation) but in the long term which is equally, if not more, important.


no one said they were a rescue, but they claim to HELP rescues, we know they claim to improve the welfare of rabbits, but look at the evidence for yourself, look how the money is being spent, make your own mind up from that

they have information that could greatly benifet many many rabbits, but they refuse to release that information unless you pay them to tell you

and contrary to what the RWAF stated earlier, the vet list IS still on the site, and is STILL in the members only area (hmm thought you said you had deleted this) and you STILL need to login to see it, so you STILL need to be a member to do this

Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund


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## RWAF (Feb 22, 2011)

It's interesting that you seem to think you know what is on our website....in an area that *even I cannot get into* because the webmaster has closed it to everybody because of the rebuild

Yesterday I had several mails from vets wanting to know how to join their practices and apply for the list. The proof of the pudding, as they say.

We are NOT a rescue. We do support rescues in many ways...you may have noticed that for example once a month I post appeals from rescues here (and on a host of other forums). The grant we secured last year was used to help get rabbits from rescues into permanent homes, and also to support rescues with crisis situations.

Our RWF accounts (which is not the part that vets and members of the public would join, but a registered charity) are of course as they rightly should be in the public domain and anyone is welcome to view them via the Charity Commissioners' website at any time. The RWA works to support the RWF with its charity work and together the two are the RWAF.

It is the RWF that is the campaigning body and needs the funds raised for example by our conferences (please do arrange one if you feel you are able...getting good information to the public would be great and we cannot possibly do it all. One hint, do make sure you are offering CPD standard training, otherwise veterinary staff won't be interested) to enable us to carry on with what we have been doing for the past 16 years.

Things have changed! There are some massive internet suppliers signed up to our Retailer Charter, as well as a national garden centre and many smaller retailers too. This means there are less smaller hutches and more 6 ft hutches available to everyone.

We have also worked with 3 manufacturers and they have introduced 6ft hutches to their range to make them more readily available to all retailers.

This is a direct result of our working with them on the A Hutch Is Not Enough campaign.

We are regularly also in the trade press, working to get our messages over to the retailers and manufacturers. Admittedly most RWA members will not see this, and will not be aware of it, but retailers will be, and it is reinforcing the AHutch Is Not Enough message regularly.

If you are frequently seeing small hutches, lack of hay in retailers, etc then we hope you are complaining to them in writing and also duplicating your messages to the local authority who issue their licence? We ran an article in Spring 12 Rabbiting On to encourage members to do that. There are only 5 of us on the committee so obviously we can not contact every retailer in the country directly, so we are asking our members to do that also.

Many retailers, dozens of them, have not signed up to the charter for various reasons but they have removed small hutches from sale, have updated their care information on line and have therefore made improvements, again as a direct result of our contact with them.

So, please don't say that the campaign is not making a difference, because that is totally inaccurate.

We are facing the challenge of changing deep rooted misconceptions about rabbit welfare from retailers and owners alike. That is not going to change overnight. It would probably change a lot faster without bickering among the rabbit owning community.

You seem determined to sully our good name for some reason. This will not help rabbit welfare at all. There are too few people involved in rabbit welfare, and making a difference, and trying to fragment an already small group with a mountain ahead of them is not helpful to anyone, least of all rabbits.

We do not intend to become embroiled in this tit for tat bickering. We have far too much important work to do to be wasting time on anything of the sort. As previously stated, if you want to continue discussing this with the RWAF then you need to email us direct or phone the helpline. Sadly, that way you won't have an audience, but you will have direct contact with us.


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

I was wondering if you had or are considering pushing for a legally binding code of practice to be set for rabbits? As currently there is only ones for dogs, cats, horses and primates.


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2012)

RWAF said:


> You seem determined to sully our good name for some reason. This will not help rabbit welfare at all. There are too few people involved in rabbit welfare, and making a difference, and trying to fragment an already small group with a mountain ahead of them is not helpful to anyone, least of all rabbits.


No one is trying to *sully* anyone 
As a charity organisation you should be open to criticism, the fact that you weren't open to publicly answering our questions made us look for ourselves 

Why is it such a big thing that everything is done in the open so EVERYONE can see??

Meh.. I have expressed my concerns, I don't particularly care if you think they are valid of not (just because you have had interest about the vet list doesn't mean they will a. be up to going on such list b. you will still be missing out on a chuck of the vet population that won't pay membership (which is what our concern is)).

I will continue to support welfare groups that seem to actually achieve things and don't price most of the population out.


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## RWAF (Feb 22, 2011)

MrRustyRead said:


> I was wondering if you had or are considering pushing for a legally binding code of practice to be set for rabbits? As currently there is only ones for dogs, cats, horses and primates.


We are in regular contact with DEFRA about this issue and frustratingly there is currently no appetite at all within the English Government to introduce any of the secondary legislation that they promised when the Animal Welfare Act was launched - rabbit codes comes under this.

However, we are part of CASC which does report to DEFRA, and our feelings are very clear that we want these codes to be in place. At present, as part of CASC, we are working on a health and welfare strategy for rabbits. From this codes will be drawn up, and then we can lobby ministers and hopefully the codes will be 'supported' by the government - at this stage this is the best we can hope for, and we are confident that this will be the case next year.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

B3rnie said:


> No one is trying to *sully* anyone
> As a charity organisation you should be open to criticism, the fact that you were open to publicly answering our questions made us look for ourselves
> 
> Why is it such a big thing that everything is done in the open so EVERYONE can see??
> ...


What she said!


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

RWAF said:


> We are regularly also in the trade press, working to get our messages over to the retailers and manufacturers. Admittedly most RWA members will not see this, and will not be aware of it, but retailers will be, and it is reinforcing the AHutch Is Not Enough message regularly.


oh really, as im sure most people on here know we run an online pet store, i havent seen any of what you have mentioned.
the only reason we dont sell small cages or unsuitable products is because we deem them to be unsuitable or unsafe, so dont stock them, not because someone has told us not to, surely your efforts would be better spread to the wholesalers as its amazing how many tiny hutches they still sell, our walk in wholesellers only actually stock 1 make of 6ft hutch all the otthers are 3fts or 4fts

i doubt my mother, how owns our shop, has ever even heard of the a hutch is not enough campaign, or the RWAF.........


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

RWAF said:


> We are in regular contact with DEFRA about this issue and frustratingly there is currently no appetite at all within the English Government to introduce any of the secondary legislation that they promised when the Animal Welfare Act was launched - rabbit codes comes under this.
> 
> However, we are part of CASC which does report to DEFRA, and our feelings are very clear that we want these codes to be in place. At present, as part of CASC, we are working on a health and welfare strategy for rabbits. From this codes will be drawn up, and then we can lobby ministers and hopefully the codes will be 'supported' by the government - at this stage this is the best we can hope for, and we are confident that this will be the case next year.


I know of organisations trying to get codes of practice for exotics so hopefully it will be possible for not just rabbits but all small animals.


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## Louiseandfriends (Aug 21, 2011)

> If you are frequently seeing small hutches, lack of hay in retailers, etc then we hope you are complaining to them in writing and also duplicating your messages to the local authority who issue their licence? We ran an article in Spring 12 Rabbiting On to encourage members to do that. There are only 5 of us on the committee so obviously we can not contact every retailer in the country directly, so we are asking our members to do that also.
> 
> Many retailers, dozens of them, have not signed up to the charter for various reasons but they have removed small hutches from sale, have updated their care information on line and have therefore made improvements, again as a direct result of our contact with them.


Well, I can only hope it works as I have seem MANY tiny hutches around the UK and here and many people are unwilling to change.

I want to bring awareness to the Channel Islands as I am very concerned about rabbits, but I'm not silly enough to believe they'll pay for any membership.


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