Lawmakers and civil groups on Monday called on people to treat rabbits with care, expressing concern that increased popularity during the Year of the Rabbit could lead to unintentional abuse.
The Taiwan Rabbit Saving Association, the Taiwan Animal Protection Monitor Network and legislators across party lines held a news conference to call attention to issues affecting rabbit welfare.
Lin Chiao-ti (林樵提), head of the association’s public affairs division, proposed 10 pieces of advice:
Photo: CNA
First, people should not get a pet rabbit just because it is the Year of the Rabbit, Lin said, adding that the animals should especially not be given as gifts.
As with any pet, prospective owners must learn beforehand how to take care of their new companion, she said, adding that pet rabbits might live longer than 10 years.
Second, people should adopt instead of buying a pet rabbit, Lin said, adding that the association, as well as community groups, facilitate rabbit adoptions.
Third, people should not get a male-female pair of rabbits, she said.
Taiwanese believe that having a matched pair is ideal, but a male and a female rabbit could produce more than 100 kits within a single year, she said.
Fourth, Lin urged people to reject the practice of giving pet rabbits as prizes in night market games.
The association last year drew up a petition calling for a ban on giving away live animals as prizes and has received the backing of the Council of Agriculture, she said.
She also called on people to refrain from visiting petting zoos, leisure farms or other places that use rabbits as attractions.
Many of these places do not treat the animals well and do not provide a good example of animal welfare for children, she said.
Sixth, TV programs or events that use rabbits on stage can contact the association to prepare an appropriate setting for the animals instead of buying animals for a one-off event.
Seventh, rabbits and other live animals should not be used in magic shows, as they are often treated inhumanely for the tricks, Lin said.
Although the practice has waned in the past few years, it might resurge this year, she added.
Eighth, the more than 10,000 rabbits that are killed annually in laboratory experiments should be acknowledged, Lin said.
The association recognizes the benefits that such experiments bring to humanity, but researchers should try to reduce the number of animal test subjects and find alternative methods, she said.
Ninth, Lin called for more education and awareness around Taiwan’s endemic wild rabbits, whose habitats are under threat.
Finally, Lin encouraged people to support the association and others seeking to help rabbits in what is likely to be a trying year for rabbit welfare.
The groups urged the council to publish rabbit care guidelines to be used by veterinarians and inspectors, and to share progress on amendments to outlaw the giving of live animals as prizes.
To curb overbreeding, they also called on the government to require rabbit owners to have microchips implanted in their pets, and to offer subsidies for spaying and neutering.
New Power Party Chairwoman Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) called on the government to improve supervision of entertainment venues that use animals.
As for laboratory tests, Chen said she has proposed a special budget to provide laboratories with specialized veterinary services.
Rabbits might be adorable, but the decision to get one should not be made hastily, as it is a long-term responsibility, Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Wu Hsin-ying (吳欣盈) said.
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