Easter bunnies are everywhere in the run-up to next weekend's celebrations. But pet lovers wanting to buy or adopt their own Easter bunny are out of luck at Britain's biggest pet store chain.
To make sure of the animals' welfare, Pets at Home is halting sales and adoptions of rabbits at all its 457 stores nationwide over the Easter weekend. Demand for rabbits traditionally goes up over Easter but Pets at Home wants to make sure none are rehomed on a whim as a seasonal impulse purchase.
The halt on sales will run over the whole Easter weekend - April 7-10. But families can get to know rabbits and other small animals better in a series of free 30-minute My Pet Pals workshops.
The sessions aim to educate families on responsible ownership of small animals and run in most stories across the country from Saturday, April 1, to Sunday, April 16, excluding Easter Sunday.
Children will have the chance to meet small furry friends and learn how to properly care for them. They’ll also enjoy a range of interactive activities including making a foraging box.
All children who take part will receive an activity sheet to take away and a special My Pet Pals certificate for completing the workshop. You can find your nearest My Pet Pals workshop and book your free space here.
Vet Karlien Heyrman, the head of pets at Pets at Home, said: “We’ve paused the sale of rabbits over the Easter weekend for a number of years. It’s one important step we take to help play our part in reducing impulse decisions over the festive period and promote responsible pet ownership, along with hosting the My Pet Pals workshops.
“There are many loving homes ready to welcome a pet into their family which is wonderful. But it’s also important that owners make an informed decision that is right both for them and their potential pet.
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"Rabbits in particular can have more complex needs, including specific dietary and environment requirements, and our pet care advisors are trained to help owners understand these. We want to help as many pets into caring families as possible so the more we can do to help owners make the right choice for them, the better.”
Between April 1 and 10, Pets at Home customers can also donate as little as 50p to its Easter appeal in store and online, with money raised going to local charities and the Pets at Home Foundation. If you need any further advice about caring for rabbits of other pets, please speak to an advisor in a Pets at Home store.
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