Campaigners protest against T and S Rabbits' farm near Rutland Water
About 50 campaigners against the sale of products made with rabbit fur held a protest near Rutland Water on Sunday.
'Shut Down T and S Rabbits', a group trying to close a loophole in the law, protested at a T and S Rabbits farm in Lyndon Top.
John Taylor, one of the protesters said, “We wanted to show that we will not tolerate it and it is unacceptable. Rabbits are intelligent, sensitive animals.”
According to John, all but one of the animals had been removed from the farm and security guards were present.
Two protesters were allowed on site to collect the remaining rabbit, which is now being rehomed.
“We are pleased that we were able to give this one a new home so it is no longer exploited but we know some will not be this lucky,” John said. “We are now more determined than ever.”
T and S Rabbits' website advertises rabbit fur hats and scarves as well as meat products.
Fur farming has been banned since 2003 but the law allows it to be sold as a by-product of the meat industry.
T and S Rabbits submitted a planning application to Rutland County Council in December 2020 to build a temporary timber cabin and an agricultural building on its Rutland site, which has not yet been approved. This means people are not currently allowed to live on the farm.
Rutland County Council has been approached over suggestions by the protesters that people have been living there. Phil Kerry, owner of T and S Rabbits, has also been approached for comment.
A spokesperson for Rutland County Council said: "We are aware that people may be living on site in two static caravans and this is the subject of on-going enforcement investigations by the Council.
"The static caravans are not within the current application site but on adjacent land."
