INTRODUCTION

Sometimes we have seen cases in which people abandon their rabbits in parks or forests thinking that this is the most ‘natural’ thing to do and that they will know how to make a good life for themselves, but is this the case?

CAN MY RABBIT LIVE IN A PARK OR FOREST?

No. A domestic rabbit cannot live or survive loose in a park or forest.

Due to their genetics, domestic rabbits can have the following problems when living in the wild:

• The colouring of their fur does not protect them from predators.
  
  

• Their size and build is less athletic than their wild relatives so they are less agile and will have greater difficulty in running away.
  
  
  

• Those animals with long or semi-long hair will see their fur tangle to the point of falling out or produce various skin and other problems.
  
  

• Albino animals have poor eyesight and are sensitive to the sun.
  
  

• Domestic rabbits are less resistant to the diseases that kill most rabbits: myxomatosis and viral haemorrhage. Wild rabbits were almost wiped out by these diseases and the survivors have produced individuals with a certain genetic resistance that domestic rabbits do not have, so they have little chance of survival.
  
  

• They do not know which plants they can eat and which they cannot.
  
  

• They do not know how to fetch water.
  
  

• They do not know how to make burrows.
  
  

• Sometimes they will trust their predators (cats or dogs) if they have been raised with them and have never had to run away.
  
  

CONSEQUENCES OF ABANDONING MY RABBIT IN A PARK OR FOREST

The consequences of abandoning a rabbit in a park or forest are the following:

• Injuries
• Infections
• Trauma
• Uncontrolled reproduction
• Spread of contagious diseases such as viruses and myxomatosis.
• Collisions
• Aggressions
• Fights
• Death
  
  

WHAT CAN I DO IF I CANNOT TAKE CARE OF MY RABBIT?

In the case that you do not want to or cannot take care of your rabbit, leaving it abandoned in a park or forest is not an option, not only because it is a crime but also because it will be a death sentence for it (a very cruel death).

If you find yourself in this situation, ask your vet for help so that he can recommend you what to do or help you find a good family, ask for advice from the shelters in your area and, above all, have a little patience and try to find a good home for your rabbit.

CONCLUSION

Abandonment is a cruel process and to do it in wooded or urban places is even worse for a domestic animal which will be lost and confused, the great majority of domestic rabbits die in the wild and, if they survive, they will not have a good time.