IT has been blamed on everything from the inclement weather to the carrot crunch.
But whatever the reason, Lothian animal welfare workers are overrun with rabbits.
The SSPCA says it is being forced to deal with an unprecedented number of bunnies this year. Its inspectors have picked up large numbers of "stray" rabbits who have been abandoned in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and it warned the domesticated animals would not be able to survive long on their own.
The Lothians Animal Welfare Centre is now "overflowing" with the bunnies, with some having to be taken to centres in Dundee or Glasgow. It is also caring for large numbers of cats, ferrets and dogs.
Assistant manager Kenny Sharpe said the centre was currently receiving around 15 to 20 calls a week. Its inspectors recently picked up animals dumped in Craigentinny, Linlithgow and Livingston.
He said: "We can't take any more rabbits at the moment as our centre is full and any spaces we do have are for the cases our inspectors bring in.
"Unfortunately, this then leads to many owners dumping their rabbits, often because when it gets colder they just can't be bothered to go outside to feed them and clean their hutches.
"Rabbits are the third most popular pet but it seems they are only the third most popular pet for around six months of the year.
"People just don't seem to realise how cruel simply throwing a domestic rabbit away can be. Domestic rabbits are just that – domestic. They can't survive in the wild, so if they aren't rescued they will die a horrible death one way or another. We are now expecting to rescue around 12 rabbits every week until the spring."
He added that the cold weather should not put people off owning a rabbit as they can make "wonderful house pets".
"They are also very clean animals and can even be trained to use a litter tray," he said.
An SSPCA spokeswoman said the credit crunch could also be one of the reasons more people were abandoning their pets. She said: "There are a lot of reasons why people will decide they can't cope with a pet anymore.
"Sometimes it can be a change in circumstances, or they say they can't afford the time to look after them.
"We have noticed a lot more strays coming in with health problems, which suggests that some people may not be able to afford to take them to the vet."
People can view the rabbits and other animals available for rehoming at
www.scottishspca.org/rehoming.
The full article contains 436 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
