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Rescued giant rabbit finds a home, a buggy and a massive beanbag Rescued giant rabbit finds a home, a buggy and a massive beanbag
(about 2 hours later)
A giant rabbit who became a celebrity after an appeal by a rescue charity has found a new home – where he is taken out in his own buggy. A giant rabbit which became a celebrity after a charity launched an appeal to find him new owners has been given a new home – and a surprising new name.
The Scottish SPCA took in Atlas, who is about the size of a west highland terrier, when his owner could no longer look after him and people from all over the world offered him a home. Atlas, a seven-month-old continental giant rabbit who is the same size as a west highland terrier, now lives with his new owner, Jen Hislop, 43, from North Ayrshire, who was chosen out of hundreds of applicants hoping to adopt the rabbit.
Jen Hislop, 43, from North Ayrshire, was chosen out of hundreds of applicants and Atlas left for his new home at the weekend. Hislop said: “I burst into tears when I got the phone call saying I had been chosen to rehome Atlas and I cried again when I collected him.”
She said: “I burst into tears when I got the phone call saying I had been chosen to rehome Atlas and I cried again when I collected him. Animals are just pets to some people but my rabbits are family members. The bunny has been given the name Atilla the Bun Binky Master Jazz Paws by Hislop, who has also been provided with a buggy to help him get around.
“I’ve had two giant rabbits before and currently have a giant cross rex rabbit named Coconut. The Scottish SPCA took in Atlas after he was given up by his previous owner because he grew so large he became too much of a handful. Though the charity said a standard rabbit hutch would not be big enough for Atlas, and a new owner would need plenty of space for him, people from all over the world offered to rehome the bunny.
Hislop said: “Animals are just pets to some people but my rabbits are family members. I’ve had two giant rabbits before and currently have a giant cross rex rabbit named Coconut.
“Atlas is an absolute hoot and doesn’t stop running around unless he’s crashed out on his massive beanbag. He even has his own pet stroller, so my 15-year-old daughter, Laurrie, and I can take him out and about.“Atlas is an absolute hoot and doesn’t stop running around unless he’s crashed out on his massive beanbag. He even has his own pet stroller, so my 15-year-old daughter, Laurrie, and I can take him out and about.
“We have a summer house with heating and air-conditioning, which Atlas has been enjoying already. He also has his own accommodation in a large garden enclosure as well as the run of the house.“We have a summer house with heating and air-conditioning, which Atlas has been enjoying already. He also has his own accommodation in a large garden enclosure as well as the run of the house.
“I’ve decided to change his name to Atilla the Bun Binky Master Jazz Paws, but I think we’ll call him Atty for short!”“I’ve decided to change his name to Atilla the Bun Binky Master Jazz Paws, but I think we’ll call him Atty for short!”
Anna O’Donnell, manager of the Scottish SPCA’s Glasgow rescue centre, said: “We were absolutely overwhelmed by the response to our rehoming appeal for Atlas and we had hundreds of calls and emails from people all over the world, including America, Canada and France. Anna O’Donnell, manager of the Scottish SPCA’s Glasgow rescue centre, said the charity was overwhelmed by the response to its rehoming appeal for Atlas, receiving hundreds of calls and emails from people all over the world, including the US, Canada and France.
“It was great there was so much interest in Atlas but we decided to find him a home here in Scotland to avoid a long journey as rabbits are very susceptible to stress. O’Donnell said: “It was great there was so much interest in Atlas but we decided to find him a home here in Scotland to avoid a long journey as rabbits are very susceptible to stress. We hope some of the people in Scotland who showed an interest in Atlas but were unsuccessful will consider one of our many other rescue rabbits as we have lots who are in need of loving owners.”
“We hope some of the people in Scotland who showed an interest in Atlas but were unsuccessful will consider one of our many other rescue rabbits as we have lots who are in need of loving owners.” According to the Scottish SPCA, Atlas is still young with some growing to do. Fully grown continental giant rabbits can measure up to 1.2 metres, weigh more than 20kg and eat a bale of hay a week and up to 2,000 carrots and 700 apples a year. The largest rabbit in the world is Darius, another continental giant, weighing 22kg – about the same as a six-year-old child.
According to the Pets4Home website, the continental giant is one of the largest and oldest breeds of rabbit, with evidence suggesting the breed may stretch as far back as the mid-16th century.
“They aren’t keen on being picked up and so aren’t the best breed to keep if you have children who might want to carry them and have a cuddle. They will be more than happy to be petted and stroked however, and as they are such gentle, inquisitive creatures they do make fantastic pets,” the site states.
Most continental giant rabbits are descended from the ancient Flemish giant, a breed that originated in Ghent, Belgium. It is thought the Flemish giant was created by breeding larger examples of fur and meat breeds – probably the so-called stone rabbit (because it was said to weigh as much as an old Belgian stone – 3.8kg) and the Patagonian, an old European breed now extinct.
Other people who offered Atlas a home included the model Katie Price, who already owns a number of pigs, goats, horses and dogs. “We will have rabbit if not gone,” Price tweeted last month.