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Sciencegroupreviewof20127www.rspca.org.uksciencegroupcompanionanimalsPetschoolAnexcitingopportunitytopromoteresponsiblepetownershipinvolvedthecompanionanimalsdepartmentworkingwiththeRSPCAsPerformingAnimalsConsultancyonthePetSchooltelevisionseries.CommissionedbytheBBCtheserieswasfilmedduringAugustandairedasaseasonofprogrammesaboutpetsinDecember2012onBBC1andCBBC.Ninechildrenwhowantedtogetapetwerechosentotakepartcompletingdailyhusbandrytaskslearningaboutanimalsfromarangeofvisitorsandspendingtimewiththeirownpet.FeaturingawiderangeofcompanionexoticandfarmanimalspeciesmanyoftheanimalsusedweresuppliedbyrescueorganisationsincludingtheRSPCAandsowerelookingforahomeatthetimeoffilming.Throughouttheseriestherewasastrongemphasisonpromotingtheideathatchildrenthoroughlyresearchtheirchoiceofpetincludingwheretosourcetheiranimalfromhowmuchisinvolvedincaringforapetandthepoorwelfareoutcomesifpeopleareirresponsiblepetowners.Theseriesculminatedwiththechildrensparentsdecidingiftheirchildwascapableoflookingaftertheirchosenpetathome.AmemberoftheRSPCAcompanionanimalsteamworkedasanindependentanimalwelfareadvisorontheseriesofferingadvicetotheproductionteamonallaspectsoftheanimalswelfareincludingaccommodationdesignandhusbandryadvice.Animalwelfareriskassessmentswereproducedtoensurethatallmembersoftheproductionteamunderstoodtheirresponsibilitiesfortheanimalswelfare.TheRSPCAadvisorwaspresentduringfilmingandpost-productionsupportwasalsoofferedbyassistingintheeditingprocesstoguidetheproductionintheprogrammesmessaging.MoreinformationaboutthePerformingAnimalsConsultancyandtheworkitdoescanbefoundbyvisitinghttpperforminganimals.rspca.org.ukhomeRabbitwelfareintheUKImprovingcompanionrabbitwelfareisatoppriorityfortheRSPCA.WhatBugsaBunnytheRSPCAsrabbitwelfarecampaignwasofficiallylaunchedinJune.Thecampaignaimstochangethecommonperceptionthatrabbitsareeasypetstokeepincreaseunderstandingoftheircomplexneedsandultimatelyimproverabbitwelfare.ThecampaignisbasedonthefindingsofanRSPCA-commissionedstudyintothestateofrabbitwelfareintheUKconductedattheUniveristyofBristolbyateamofwelfarescientistsbehaviouristsandvets.The16-monthstudyinvestigatedthehusbandryhousingbehaviourandhealthoftheUKrabbitpopulationandshedslightonthemostimportantrabbitwelfareissues.Theresultsofthestudyareduetobepublishedin2013.ThroughextensivepresscoverageonlinevideosandsocialmediaactivitiesthefirstpartofthecampaignHayFeverpromotedtheimportanceoffeedingrabbitsthecorrectdietofmainlyhayandgrass.ThistopicwaschosenbecausetheBristolstudyidentifiedalackofgrassandhayinrabbitsdietsasoneofthekeywelfareissuesaffectingcompanionrabbitsintheUK.InSeptemberthecampaignfocussedontheissueofpreventativehealthcarethroughRabbitAwarenessWeekRAW.TheRSPCAisanofficialpartnerofRAWwhichaimstoraiseawarenessofthewelfareneedsofpetrabbits.RSPCAcentresandbranchesranrabbiteducationeventsandofferedfreehealthchecksinassociationwithlocalveterinarypractices.ThisyearsthemewastheimportanceofregularveterinaryhealthchecksandvaccinationsagainstMyxomatosisandRabbitHaemorrhagicDisease.TheBristolstudyfoundthatthesetwodiseaseswereratedbyexpertsasthewelfareissuesthatcausethemostintensesufferingtopetrabbits.TheRSPCAhasalsofundedafurtherstudyattheUniversityofBristoltoinvestigatethespatialneedsofpair-housedrabbits.Thefindingsofthisstudywillformthebasisfornewevidence-basedrabbithousingguidelineswhichtheRSPCAhopestolaunchin2013.Theongoingcampaignwillseektoaddressotherpriorityrabbitwelfareissuesin2013andbeyondincludingsuitablehousingandcompanionship.Furtherdetailsofthecampaigncanbefoundatwww.rspca.org.ukwhatbugsabunny