Labour politician proposes mandatory rabbit ownership training in Wales

A Labour politician wants people to take "short training courses" before they can own a rabbit as part of animal welfare reforms in Wales.

Mike Hedges told Wales' parliament, the Senedd, that people should be restricted from becoming owners until they "can show they understand the needs of rabbits".

A Conservative Senedd member questioned the practicality of requiring the training, while a Senedd source told BBC Wales the idea was "hare-brained".

The RSPCA said rabbits are among the most neglected pets in the UK, and welcomed an improvement to animal welfare, while a rabbit charity said bunnies can currently be bought "too easily, with too little understanding of their needs".

On Tuesday, Hedges - Welsh Labour's culture spokesperson - used a question to First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth to ask what actions the government was taking to improve animal welfare.

After ap Iorwerth said it would "develop a science-led animal health and welfare plan" for the country, Hedges said it reflected badly on society if "we allow animals to be mistreated, either by ignorance or cruelty".

Hedges suggested several reforms, including microchipping cats, bans on tethering horses, owning primates, cage breeding of game birds and ending the use of Larsen traps - spring-door wire cages used to catch birds like magpies and crows.

He added that Wales should allow "rabbit ownership only after a short training course where individuals can show they understand the needs of rabbits".

The Senedd election in May saw Hedges' Labour lose power in Wales for the first time since the country got its own parliament in 1999, with Plaid Cymru becoming its largest party and taking over the running of the Welsh government.

Asked by Hedges if the Welsh government would bring in these changes, Plaid leader ap Iorwerth only said his government wanted to "set high standards for the treatment of animals".

Conservative Senedd member Andrew RT Davies later said he questioned "the practicality of the kind of training that has been suggested".

"Those in power must focus on feasible measures to deliver the high animal welfare standards the public expects," he said.

A Conservative source told BBC Wales that the proposal was "hare-brained".

They added that "people will be hopping mad that Labour see it as a priority", and that Hedges should "focus on the mess which his party has left Wales in".

Wales' Greens leader Anthony Slaughter said his party would lend support "wherever there is a case to improve human knowledge around how to best care for a pet".

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 already makes it an offence in England and Wales to cause animals unnecessary suffering or to fail to meet their welfare needs.

RSPCA Cymru said it welcomed the call to improve animal welfare, and said rabbits "are among our most forgotten and misunderstood pets, despite being popular with many people and families".

The charity added it is calling on the Welsh government to commit to an "overdue review" and update of the relevant Code of Practice, which has been unchanged since its publication in 2009.

The RSPCA said rabbits have very complex needs and are among the most neglected pets in the UK.

"Anyone considering taking ownership of them as pets needs to thoroughly research their needs to ensure they are provided with a suitable diet and the appropriate accommodation that helps them thrive," a spokesperson said.

Its tips for keeping a rabbit include:

A healthy diet mainly consisting of good quality hay and grass, as well as clean drinking water

As rabbits teeth grow continuously, they need to be worn down with a constant supply of high fibre from their diet

Rabbits need much more space than a small hutch - they must be able to run, hop, stretch, dig and stand upright

Their home should be safe, clean, dry and protected from weather and predators

They also need places to hide and rest, as rabbits are prey animals and can become stressed without shelter

Rabbits are highly social animals and should usually be kept with at least one other rabbit

Living alone can lead to loneliness, stress and behavioural problems