PETS At Home is imposing a huge ban in every store this weekend.
Customers will not be able to buy or adopt rabbits until after the Easter celebrations.
We’ve all heard the phrase “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas” and the same can be said for bunnies at Easter.
While the occasion has become famous for its ties to eggs and the beloved Easter Bunny, a popular pet store is asking shoppers to hold off on adopting their own fluffy friend until after the weekend.
From Good Friday, April 18, to Easter Monday, April 21, Pets At Home will pause the sale and adoption of rabbits.
This initiative will apply to all 460 store locations across the UK.
The action has been taken as part of the brand’s commitment to encouraging responsible pet ownership.
It hopes to dissuade impulse purchases and adoptions driven by Easter celebrations.
“Every year, we make the decision to temporarily halt rabbit sales over the Easter weekend,” a Pets At Home spokesperson said.
“This is a deliberate action to discourage any impulsive choices about owning a rabbit, given their close association with this time of year.”
The representative went on to discuss the responsibilities required to raise a rabbit.
“Rabbits make wonderful pets, however, they are not the ‘easy’ pet that they can often be thought of as,” they explained.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”How to keep pets safe during a heatwave” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6359994354112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]“Rabbits have complex needs, including specialised dietary requirements and environments, and we always want to educate and encourage careful reflection on how those needs will be met before homing.”
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D112501%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]Rabbit rescue charity E.A.R.S reports that four out of five rabbits bought as pets for Easter are abandoned or die within a year.
According to the organisation, rabbits can be a “10 to 12-year commitment” and “are not starter pets”.
They require daily exercise, attention, and an appropriate diet.
PETA also strongly urges against the sale of rabbits as hundreds are bought as gifts for children over the Easter break.
In previous years, Pets At Home has placed signs at each of its locations informing customers of the rule.
The sign read: “Owning rabbits can be very rewarding and enjoyable. It’s also a long term commitment that you need to make sure you’re ready for.
“We pride ourselves on putting pets before profit, so we’ve made the decision not to sell or adopt rabbits over the Easter weekend.”
And Pets At Home isn’t the only store with a change to normal operations over Easter weekend.
Asda will see 580 of its larger locations close for 24 hours over the Easter weekend.
Morrisons will also adjust opening hours over the weekend, with all locations closing on Easter Sunday.
Meanwhile, all Co-op locations will operate normal hours over Easter weekend.
You can check the full list of Easter supermarket closures and changes to operating hours here.
And for information on Good Friday and Easter Monday opening hours, click here.
