Staffordshire Rabbit & Guinea Pig Rescue

06/05/2025

Did you know that there are no official rules or professional bodies to manage the rabbit rescue world?

This means that anyone can start up a rabbit rescue and these pop up rescues can thrive on the profit of animals, much like breeders and pet shops, and contribute to the rescue crisis the UK is facing.

The National Rabbit Festival is huge on ethics and promoting gold standard care for all rabbits - so what makes a rabbit rescue 'ethical'?

- Rescues will rehome to the minimum welfare requirements of 3m x 2m 24/7.

- Rescues will never rehome a rabbit to live singly - companionship is a must have.

- Rescues will always vaccinate and spay/neuter their rabbits.

- Rescues will home check vigorously and ensure that any adopters meet the necessary criteria to adopt, and understand the commitment of caring for rabbits.

- Rescues will house their rescue rabbits in large setups whilst they wait for their forever homes, not using hutches or unsafe spaces like non-predator proof runs.

- Rescues will never breed or support the breeding of rabbits.

- Rescues will health check all rabbits prior to adoption and be up front with adopters about any health concerns or historic issues.

-Rescues will have the financial means to care for all rabbits under their care, with a buffer for emergencies.

We have endeavoured to ensure all of the rescues being welcomed to The National Rabbit Festival are ethical rescues who work towards the bigger picture of rabbit welfare. They will be happy to discuss adoption at their stalls!

02/04/2025

Meet Hallé. She joined us a few weeks ago when she presented with a sudden head tilt that her owner couldn’t afford to treat. It goes without saying that we have a long road ahead, but she has a strong spirit and we are fighting the good fight. Isn’t she beautiful?

23/03/2025

I’ve recommended Heathers bonding webinar to many people over the last few weeks - and here it is. Please sign up if you’re involved with rabbits in any capacity, if is vital we understand them and their need for companionship.

The next ethical bonding webinar with The Bunnyjackpot Foundation is going to be Sunday April 27 at 11a Chicago time. It will be $27 to register which will be split between our rescues and directly benefits our rescue rabbits!

Heather from TBF is a bonding and behavior expert who has bonded thousands of rabbits to date, spoken about bonding at The National Rabbit Festival and quite literally wrote the book on ethical bonding.

Tickets are limited! Send an email to register!

18/03/2025

Remember Lenny? A few weeks ago he was signed over to us by his owner, who lied and said he had been found in a field (even had her child lie to us, too! 🥴). Thanks to some eagle eyed supporters, we received proof of her having tried to rehome him for weeks previously.

Lenny is now knot-free, not living in his own poo and is having his needs met for what we suspect is the first time. He is the sweetest, happiest little pig you could hope to meet and it’s sad to think that his previous owner didn’t care enough about him - and in turn didn’t get to experience the absolute joy he brings. He is a delightful companion.

He’s now neutered and will be looking for a new home in a few weeks time. He’ll be transferred to TThe Bunnyjackpot Foundation for rehoming so please contact them with any queries as our inbox isn’t currently monitored.

16/03/2025

Seeking veterinary treatment for a sick animal is a legal requirement. This pig hadn’t eaten since Monday. He didn’t stand a chance. He originated from a breeder, and yet we are still told that breeders can be ethical? Where was the breeder when he laid suffering in the care of a minor? Where was the breeder when we needed to authorise hundreds of pounds worth of emergency care? This owner didn’t reach out to a rescue for help. I contacted them. And even when on route to collect him (at which point we weren’t aware he was even remotely unwell), they tried to insist that we buy him for £35 from them. An almost dead animal and you want us to PAY YOU to help him?

Still, in the darkest of times there is always light. In the form of Craig and Vicky, the volunteers who went out of their way on their Saturday to drop everything and help an animal. Who ended up collecting an unresponsive little body and needing to urgently find him vet care. Who if this person had been honest from the start, I could’ve gone straight from work the night before and saved Victor almost 24 hours of further suffering, and two wondeful volunteers the heartache of this experience. And of course Heather, who shows up for both us and the animals time and time and time again.

Do better people, we HAVE to do better. Sleep tight buddy, I’m so desperately sorry you were failed so catastrophically 💔

Can I interrupt your evening by telling you a really sad story that I think people need to hear?

This blurry picture is Victor.

Victor died today.

Victor was surrendered to our colleagues at Staffordshire Rabbit & Guinea Pig Rescue as a critical case, and we helped coordinate getting into the vets because when our shared volunteers (the absolutely magnificent Vikki and Craig) went to retrieve him, he was in a horrifically unwell state.

Victor was handed over by a child, no adults appeared to be present in the house - we don’t know when he was last fed, he was skin and bones, his breathing was shallow. On admittance, his temperature was so low that it didn’t register on the thermometer.

Victor was in an appalling state.

Unfortunately, despite attempts to warm him up, get fluids into him, see if we could do something quickly (and we gave it a couple of hours maximum before we said goodbye), Victor passed away.

This is devastating. If we could’ve got to Victor earlier, this could’ve been prevented. If animals weren’t sold so readily to people who aren’t capable of looking after them, this could’ve been prevented.

Unfortunately, Victor is one of those cases who will typically come in and out of rescue without anybody really remembering who he was – but the rescue who took him on will bear a financial burden for giving him a chance.

Victor’s vet bill today was estimated at £500. Whilst we do not have the complete total, it is really important to us to try and support Staffordshire Rabbit Rescue as best as we can. And shouldn’t we try and provide support for giving Victor the dignity he got?

If you can donate even £1 toward Victor’s bills today, please do. You have no idea how much of a help it will be – and maybe the next Victor, we can save in time.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/victorslegacy

- please note that any excess funds, in the unlikely event that that becomes a reality, will go towards the next guinea pig in need -

07/03/2025

Trying one last time for this - if anyone is please able to help? The Bunnyjackpot Foundation

02/03/2025

And so an update on the dumped piggie.

Thanks so much for the huge response we had to our earlier post regarding the piggie that we were told had been found dumped in his cage, at the back of a playing field in Uttoxeter. With your help we have established that he was not, infact dumped. The ‘finder’ has been trying to get rid of him for a number of weeks. There was at some point another piggie in with him (which we suspected, as he has scabs under his fur), who knows what happened to that little one.

So, on that note -

😡 Do your research before bringing sentient beings into your home and lives. And care for them for the duration of theirs.

😡 Don’t lie to rescues. It’s low. This chap sped straight up to the top of the waiting list, and who knows what has happened to the pigs we have turned away because of course, as a ‘abandoned’ animal his need was greater.

😡 Don’t allow your pet to become matted to the point of having to be clipped right down to release his legs from being matted to his body. Thankfully we always take photos of proof of the state animals arrive to us in. He’s now comfortable. We understand that not everyone’s animals are as high a priority to them as they are to us, but all it would’ve taken is ten minutes every few weeks to prevent this neglect.

This little man is safe and loved this evening. He’ll be neutered and go on to live a good, happy life. But yet again, we are astounded by humans and the lies they tell.

02/03/2025

‼️ Uttoxeter - Please Share ‼️

Do you recognise this pig or this cage? Did a friend of your children’s, or perhaps a neighbour have a Guinea pig a few days ago and now don’t? This pig was found dumped in his cage on Friday at 6pm on the playing field behind Marlborough Way, Uttoxeter. Pig is fine, but has suffered inherent neglect in that their back end was horrendously matted and required clipping right down. We will of course report this, but we’d really like to trace the owners so that their details can be passed on. Your messages will be treated with anonymity. Thank you.

02/03/2025

Is anyone able to help at all with this? Would be very grateful if so. The Bunnyjackpot Foundation

22/02/2025

Can you help us? Looking to move a spare set-up from Rugeley WS15 - Bridgwater TA7. Van or Large Car required - Thank you!

22/02/2025

Is anyone able to help us at all to move a Guinea pig set up from WS15 Rugeley to TA7 Bridgwater at all please? Will need van or large car - Approx dimensions 5 x 2ft, 3ft tall. Thank you

14/02/2025

The rescue world is facing two crises. One is talked about a lot, one isn’t talked about enough.

Yes, there are too many rabbits for rescues and immense pressure is being put on ethical charities to take on more and more cases of neglected animals every single day.

The second crisis is just as bad and just as impactful: a mental health crisis.

Rescue work is exhausting and pulls on every single resource of person has. Seeing neglect cases, taking non-stop trips to the vet and being put through a never-ending emotional wringer, worrying about finances and fundraising, managing teams of volunteers and dealing with the general public… All of which whilst being unpaid or certainly underpaid.

There is not one single rescue who has not wobbled when it comes to mental health. Rescue workers are continuously put under more pressure than any human should be expected to cope with, with next to no resource for support - not discounting each other, because nobody quite understands rescue unless you’re in it.

Put simply, rescue is traumatising. In day-to-day jobs, including not for profit/charity roles, there are allowances made to make hard work easier on those undertaking it. Therapy, extra time off, work life balance… None of this really exists in the small charity animal rescue world, which is a place rooted in anxiety and burnout.

Rescue work is far from spending your days cuddling adorable animals. Particularly for those running rescues, days are spent pouring over spreadsheets, running finances and budgets, saying countless, countless ‘no’s to desperate cases.

It is no wonder we are all exhausted, and riddled with anxiety.

So what can YOU do? You can be an ally: be alive to the immeasurable amount of pain and pressure people in rescue are put under. You can offer support, and that doesn’t have to be financial – so that always helps - supporters are one of the reasons rescues continue to do what they can, because supporters make it possible.

I think one of the most impactful ways we can acknowledge this crisis is by talking about it more and recognising how chronically underfunded and unsupported this area of charity work is.