ACTOR Peter Egan, pictured above, has slated unscrupulous breeders who exploit rabbits ‘on a grand scale’ by creating animals with extreme features to enter them into ‘horrifically cruel’ shows.

The UK’s third-most popular pet is also often neglected and maltreated by owners vying to win competitions, activists say.

A dossier compiled by rescuers claims animals have been picked up with what they say are signs of neglect including malnutrition, blindness, eye infections, deafness and large painful wounds. 

Rabbits suffer ‘terrifying’ and potentially deadly treatment at shows that are regularly staged around the UK in community halls and at county shows.

Many are bred to have cruel features such as flat faces that restrict breathing, it’s claimed.

Photos show rabbits have been found with infections where rings – which are compulsory in shows – had dug deep into their skin. 

The document, which sets out dozens of first-hand reports and photos, concludes the animals are subjected to “nationwide, standardised and systematic abuse”.

Star’s Fury at ‘Cruel and Outdated’ Rabbit Shows

After seeing the report, the star of Ever Decreasing Circles and Downton Abbey said: “This is shocking, disgusting and cruel, and anyone contributing to this should be banned from keeping an animal.”

Rabbits are known to take fright easily, being highly sensitive to their surroundings. But when they are scared, they naturally freeze – so their terror goes unnoticed. 

Judging at shows often involves turning rabbits onto their backs, which vets condemn as so stressful it can kill. “Trancing” is a fear response by rabbits, causing faster heart and breathing rates and a risk of death, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) says.

“Rabbits are prey species so being turned upside down is stressful for them. They may look relaxed but this is a defensive response,” a BVA spokesperson said.

Richard Saunders, a Rabbit Welfare Association vet, said the only legitimate reason for turning a rabbit over was to check for flystrike.

Mr Egan slated how the animals are put into competitions to win rosettes.

He condemned the “inconsiderate and cruel caging of the rabbits, the lack of any enrichment, water or food and a total lack of consideration for the needs of such a vulnerable animal”. 

“What surprises me even more is that everyone bringing their supposed loved pet to this appalling event, seems to have no understanding of the needs of the rabbit they are exhibiting and no care for them either.

He said he was shocked by how breeders were “perpetuating the cruelty by introducing their children to this horrible event”.

“These people, I am sure, believe that they love their rabbits but are content to impose such cruel and inhospitable conditions on them purely to win a prize. Would they allow their daughters to suffer in such a way in order to win a beauty pageant?” he said.

“This is shocking, disgusting and cruel, and anyone contributing to this should be banned from keeping an animal.”

Neglect, Wounds and Fear: Inside the Evidence Dossier

The dossier of evidence, compiled by the Ban Rabbit Shows campaign, includes photos of rabbits bred with flat faces for judging and others with bloodied, untreated wounds from rings or wire cages.

Experts advise owners that the animals need space to hide, as well as the freedom to express natural behaviour such as digging. The RSPCA says they are social, playful and inquisitive, and need to interact and play with other friendly rabbits.

But activists say shows prevent this natural behaviour, so they suffer.

The British Rabbit Council, which denies the claims, says it promotes “healthy and ethical breeding practices” and that members must uphold welfare standards.

Council leaders say they stage around 1,000 shows a year across the UK, mostly at county and agricultural shows, but also in community halls.

In January, more than 1,000 rabbits were on show at the Bradford small animal show, entered in various categories.

Last year, the New Forest Show banned the BRC over welfare concerns. The Ban Rabbit Shows campaign complained to the Dogs Trust and Guide Dogs about their plans to attend the Bradford show and said both pulled out.

Flat Faces and Ring Wounds: Breeding for Rosettes

Rabbits are taken out of their cages to be judged at shows, usually in classes by age, breed or colour, and rosettes awarded to owners of the winning animal.

But critics say some members’ practices are profoundly cruel, breaching the Animal Welfare Act. That includes the use of tiny, cramped cages with wire floors that cause pain, and leaving rabbits sitting in their urine and droppings.

One volunteer rescuer, who did not want to be identified because campaigners have “received threats”, said she had seen how BRC members took rabbits to shows, where the animals could “hardly move or hop and had no hiding place – crucial for prey animals”.

“Conditions are horrifically cruel,” she said.

But the BRC strongly denies the claims, insisting rabbits at shows are well cared for and that trancing is banned.

Around 1.5 million UK people own rabbits but it’s estimated there are 100,000 in rescue centres needing homes.

The volunteer said she had seen how “stock” sold at shows was often “stuffed into a cardboard box for their new owner, with little or no care explanation”.

The UK has no licensing laws on rabbit breeding, and according to the Rabbit Welfare Association (RWAF), it means babies are often mis-sexed and sold without proper care information.

She said any not fit for breeding may be sold as food for birds of prey or snakes.

Some breeders break the necks of rabbits that don’t meet “show standard”, she claimed. However, the BRC says there is no proof of this.

And she accused BRC breeders of creating ever more “extreme” rabbits with features that cause “lifelong misery”, such as very long lop ears, thick wool or flat faces.

But video from one show showed animals panting, which Mr Saunders said was an extremely serious clinical sign. “Mouth breathing is a desperate attempt to get oxygen, and suggests severe respiratory compromise, which often leads to death,” he said.

Cages, Noise and Fear: First-Hand Accounts from Rescuers

Amanda, a Dorset rabbit rescuer, who did not want to be identified by her surname, said she had seen shows with cages stacked on top of each other, and the noise, including people with microphones, would have terrified the rabbits.

“I’ve often seen judges grab rabbits by the ears to flip them on their backs,” she said. “If the animal struggles it could be injured. Rabbits die of stress very easily.”

Right of Reply

Denise Laidlow, of the BRC, said the council took welfare seriously, denying the organisation breached the law, encouraged extreme breeding and that rabbits lay in their own faeces.

Exhibitors would be asked to refresh bedding if that were the case, she said.

Identity rings were made in different sizes for different breeds and rarely caused problems, Ms Laidlaw said.

“No one at shows trances a rabbit. A health check is undertaken and is not stressful,” she said, adding: “This year there have been no end of claims on Facebook of rabbits being taken in by rescues from BRC breeders, with pictures of single hutches, supposedly BRC breeders. We know 95 per cent of the accusations are untrue.”

Agricultural shows should have barriers to stop visitors prodding rabbits, she said, and selling them was “not common practice” but needed council permission.

“We aim to protect heritage breeds and encourage the education and breeding of healthy rabbits,” she added.

“Exhibitors are careful with their breeding programmes to avoid surplus stock. BRC breeders do not make money from breeding. It’s a hobby, not a business. The BRC investigation committee will investigate accusations of abuse by any member.”

The BVA spokesperson said turning a rabbit over, if done quickly by a competent owner whom the pet is familiar with and for medical reasons, would cause minimal stress.