Victory! Rutland County Council Rejects Rabbit Farm

PETA is hopping up and down with joy: Rutland County Council has rejected plans for a rabbit farm in Hambleton, Rutland, proposed by T&S Nurseries.

If approved, the farm would have slaughtered 10,000 rabbits a year for their flesh and fur. The farm would also have kept and exploited 250 female rabbits as baby-making machines.

Over 20,000 PETA supporters signed our petition to the council – thank you to each and every one of you.

T&S Nurseries also planned to expand its horrific franchise by building more rabbit farms in Cornwall and Buckinghamshire and an additional rabbit butchering facility in Derbyshire. But all three councils rejected the proposals following widespread criticism, including three PETA petitions – each signed by over 25,000 people. Now, Rutland County Council joins the list!

Why We Petitioned Against T&S Nurseries’ Plans

Rabbits are social animals who feel pain and distress. A recent investigation by AnimalAid into T&S Nurseries’ existing rabbit farm in Atlow, Derbyshire, uncovered the dreadful conditions in which the animals are kept.

Rabbits were confined to hutches for hours with no visible access to grass and denied the chance to do anything that comes naturally to them, such as racing, hopping, and playing.

Investigations into the company’s Nottinghamshire farm also revealed the gruesome remains of a burnt rabbit on a bonfire – physical evidence of misconduct and abuse.

Rabbits can live to be 9 years old, but those at facilities like the one proposed would likely be slaughtered before they reach 3 months of age.

When slaughtered, the terrified rabbits would likely be hung upside down to be stunned before their throats are cut. As stunning is often carried out incorrectly, many rabbits experience excruciating pain as they die.

Sneaking in Fur Farming Through the Back Door

The applicants would also likely make a profit from selling the rabbits’ skins – even though fur farming has been banned in the UK since 2000 – under the guise that their fur is a “by-product” of killing them for their flesh.

Take a look at this PETA exposé to see the horrors that rabbits face when farmed for their fur and help support a #FurFreeBritain:

Support a #FurFreeBritain

Jo-Anne McArthur / Djurrattsalliansen

Slaughtering Animals Affects Mental Health

The rabbits would likely be killed on site – and this is not only horrific and terrifying for the rabbits, it’s also a distressing process for the workers who have to kill each and every one of them.

Working at an abattoir or a meat-processing plant has been linked to various mental health problems. Records show that many workers grapple with suicidal thoughts, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

These workers are typically among the poorest and most exploited people – because it’s a job that nobody wants to do.

What’s Next?

Although the council rejected these plans, we expect the applicants to appeal, as they have against rejected proposals in other parts of the country.

We’ll continue to oppose cruel farm plans when they’re put forward. If you want to be alerted and be one of the first people to take action, ensure you’re subscribed to our e-news and join our action team:

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Rabbits Still Need Your Help

While you’re here, please take a moment to sign our other urgent action alerts to help rabbits who are exploited and killed for their fur and treated like laboratory equipment in horrific experiments.