Home > Media releases > Rabbits are not Easter gifts!

Rabbits are not Easter gifts!

Many rabbits languish in solitude in their cages after the initial excitement.

Many children wish for a rabbit for Easter. The desire for a live cuddly toy is often so strong that it is fulfilled by parents, grandparents, or other relatives. Unfortunately, however, the live Easter gift often ends up lonely in a cage that is far too small, or after only a short time in an animal shelter or zoo as snake food.

Giving a rabbit as a gift places a heavy burden of work and financial strain on the recipient: For species-appropriate care, building a suitable outdoor enclosure with an insulated sleeping area is essential. "Furthermore, rabbits must be kept in pairs at a minimum," explains animal rights activist Susy Utzinger.

Live rabbits are not cuddly toys! It is neither in the rabbit's nature nor in its best interest to land on a person's arm and be petted calmly. Therefore, it can certainly happen that the "cuddly toy" leaves painful marks on the body of the child petting it.

The end of what were once Easter gifts is often sad: many rabbits languish lonely in their cages after the initial excitement. Susy Utzinger: "Some of them are given away indiscriminately, end up in animal shelters, in zoos as snake food, or are otherwise 'disposed of.'"

There's certainly nothing wrong with adding a cute, long-eared teddy bear to your family's plush toy collection. A plush toy can also serve as a promise to get a real rabbit. If parents and children agree, have thoroughly researched the needs of rabbits, and their lifestyle and living situation allow for keeping rabbits properly for an extended period, then a trip to the animal shelter is perfectly acceptable. Often, animals acquired impulsively are waiting there for a second chance with true rabbit lovers – including young rabbits.

 

You can find filler ads for the press release in our media corner.

Further information
Preview image for the press release
File
Press release: Rabbits are not Easter gifts! (docx)
Preview image for the press photo
File
Image (AI-generated): Many rabbits languish alone in their cages after the initial excitement.
Preview image for the press photo
File
Image (AI-generated): Unfortunately, the living Easter gift often ends up in the animal shelter after only a short time.
Preview image for the fountain pen advertisement "Animals are not Easter gifts"
File
Filler ad: Animals are not Easter gifts (132x138) - Other formats can be found under Filler Ads

More from our media world

25 years of SUST: Sustainable animal welfare with measurable impact

Car: A Death Trap

Animal welfare in emergency situations – provisions for your pet (with audio)

Shopping Cart