Rabbit

Pet rabbit industry statistics (UK)

A variety of statistics about pet rabbit ownership and behaviour in the UK. Updated regularly.

I have gathered the statistics for the pet rabbit industry in the UK from a variety of sources. As I discover new statistics, I’ll keep adding to this page.

How many pet rabbits are there in the UK?

There are currently about 900,000 pet rabbits in the UK.

These figures are from May 2021. Source.

How have pet rabbit numbers changed over time?

YearNumber of pet rabbits
20111,669,000
20121,700,000
20131,000,000 (no reason given for drop in numbers)
20141,300,000 (no reason given for increase in numbers)
20151,200,000
20161,500,000
20171,100,000
20181,000,000
2019900,000
20201,000,000
2021900,000
Change in pet rabbit numbers for the UK

It is unclear why numbers vary so much from year to year. Source.

How many adults own a pet rabbit in the UK?

2% of UK adults own a pet rabbit.

These figures are from May 2021. Source.

Where do people get their pet rabbit from?

According to the Paw Report 2021:

Where owners get their rabbits fromPercentage
Pet shop or garden centre34%
Rescue home or rehoming centre19%
Rehomed from family, friend or neighbour13%
Where do owners get pet rabbits in the UK?

A different methodology from 2014 (England only) gave these results:

Where owners get their rabbits fromPercentage
Pet shop or garden centre39.1%
Rescue home or rehoming centre17.6%
Breeder15.8%
Rehomed from family, friend or neighbour15%
Advert4%
Found as stray2.1%
Where do owners get pet rabbits in England?

How many rabbits live alone?

In May 2021, 48% of rabbits live alone.

This is important because rabbits are sociable animals, who usually require companionship from other rabbits.

This has changed over time. In general, there has been a decrease (which is good). But during lockdown from COVID there was an increase.

YearPercent of rabbits living alone
201167%
2012
201365%
2014
201557%
201652%
201756%
201854%
201949%
202042%
202148%
Change in pet rabbit numbers for the UK

Source.

Why do owners only have one rabbit?

Reason for only having one rabbitPercentage
Previous companion has passed away34%
Don’t want to own more than one27%
Rabbit does not get on with other rabbits14%
Have never thought about getting another rabbit13%
Have not got around to getting a second rabbit9%
Can only afford one rabbit6%
Why do owners only have one pet rabbit?

These figures are from May 2021. Source.

What percentage of rabbits get neutered?

63% of rabbits are neutered in the UK (May 2021). This is an increase from 57% in February 2020.

Neutering improves rabbits’ health, behaviour and life expectancy. Read here on what to expect when your rabbit is neutered (spayed).

How long do pet rabbits live on average?

Pet rabbits in England live on average for 5.6 years, with a range of 1 month to 12 years.

These figures are from 2014. Source. Note – these are England figures, not UK.

How much do pet rabbit owners spend each year?

The total spend of pet rabbit owners in the UK is about £672 million.

The average rabbit owner spends £94 per month (£1,128 per year) over the lifetime of a rabbit.

These figures are for 2018-19. Source.

Do owners keep rabbits outside or inside?

Where do pet rabbits live?Percentage
Outside (or mainly outside)59.5%
Inside (or mainly inside) (house rabbit)27.6%
Shed, garage or outside building12%
Do pet rabbits live outside or inside?

Of the respondents, 19.5% said that the location varied with season.

These figures are for 2014. Source. These are England figures, not UK.

Posted by Jonathan