The National Rabbit Festival returns to Nottingham

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Beth Hinds founded the National Rabbit Festival to improve people's knowledge of caring for rabbits ethically

Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK, but suffer a higher proportion of neglect than cats and dogs. As the National Rabbit Festival comes to Nottingham, the founder explains how rabbits saved her - and how she wants to save as many as possible.

"It sounds dramatic but there's a real chance I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for rabbits," says Beth Hinds.

"They've completely changed my life and given me purpose and passion."

Beth was 23 and struggling with severe depression when she found out a friend of a friend had accidentally ended up with more than 20 rabbits.

The friend had bought two rabbits from a pet shop thinking they were the same sex, but it turned out they were a girl and a boy.

"They ended up breeding out of control," said Beth, who already had experience of caring for rabbits as pets and wanted to help.

'Gave me purpose'

She took 13 of the rabbits herself and found space for some of the others to go to rescue centres.

Beth cared for the rabbits, arranged for them to be neutered and spayed, and found new homes for them.

And as Beth started caring for the rabbits, she felt her depression lifting.

"The process of rehabilitating these rabbits and getting them where they needed to be gave me so much purpose," she said.

"I was really struggling to get out of bed most mornings, but when I knew there was 13 little rabbits who needed me to get out of bed and needed me to take them to vaccination appointments, it started me being able to live a more full life again."

Beth (left) had a rabbit called Betsy as a child

Taking care of those 13 rabbits had such a huge impact on Beth, she knew she couldn't stop there.

"I thought once these guys are into homes I can't go back to life how it was before, without it being filled with rabbits, so I then started up the charity properly," she says.

The charity Beth founded was Ivy Dene Rabbit Rescue, which took its name from the house she was living in at the time.

As more and more unwanted rabbits were surrendered, they gradually took over the home she shared with her boyfriend and they quickly realised they needed more space.

"Whilst rabbits literally saved me and were everything to me, it was really difficult to have any sort of balance because there were just rabbits everywhere," she says.

Beth had experience of caring for rabbits as pets before founding Ivy Dene Rabbit Rescue

Beth and her boyfriend looked for a house with land outside so they could build enclosures and have capacity to rescue more rabbits.

They have taken in about 350 rabbits since starting in 2019 and currently look after 72, with the majority of those needing new homes.

Nationally, animal rescue charities including the RSPCA have warned of a "rabbit crisis" due to huge numbers being abandoned, and Ivy Dene Rabbit Rescue has experienced this too.

Ivy Dene receives requests to take on about 10 new rabbits every day, but has to turn most away because it is at full capacity.

"It definitely feels like it's getting worse," says Beth.

"Rabbits do breed fast, and with people not sexing their rabbits properly and understanding they need to be neutered, very quickly two rabbits can turn into 30-plus rabbits.

"There's no regulation so there's rabbits being bred in really bad conditions because people might be able to make a little bit of money off them."

Chris Packham, pictured here with partner Charlotte Corney, described the National Rabbit Festival as "the event of the year"

Like all rabbit rescue charities, Beth would strongly encourage people to adopt a rabbit rather than buy one.

She also believes people need to be better informed about how to care for rabbits ethically, which is why she founded the National Rabbit Festival.

"I couldn't believe that nothing like [the festival] existed that wasn't breeder events," she said.

The first festival was held in Birmingham two years ago, the second was held in Nottingham last year, and this year it is returning to Nottingham.

It's being held at the East Midlands Conference Centre on Saturday, from 10:00 to 18:00 BST.

Wearing rabbit ears to the festival is optional

Broadcaster Chris Packham has lent his support to the festival, describing it as "the event of the year".

"If you're into rabbits you'll want to be there," said Chris, whose partner has rescue rabbits.

"It's everything with two big ears under one roof."

Visitors can expect to take part in activities such as making wreaths for their animals to eat and hear educational talks from rabbit experts.

But while there is a serious message behind the festival, Beth says there will also be fun activities such as face painting and a bouncy castle, and a bar for the last two hours.

"I wanted it to be a happy and light-hearted event, so we're really leaning in to the festival feel for this one," she says.

"I'm hoping for it to be an even more exciting, uplifting and positive day, with that educational advocacy continuously as the backbone of the event."

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