A match made in heaven: Biscuit and Munch
What makes a pet truly happy? For many, especially our smaller furry friends, it’s companionship.
Yet, sadly, there is still a lack of awareness that it is essential for certain animals to live with another of their own species or in a group. This was highlighted in a recent report by the PDSA, which revealed that 420,000 (42%) rabbits in the UK are living without a companion*
At Woodgreen, we’re doing our bit to help. The charity’s mixing service enables people to bring their small pet to us and be introduced to an animal of the same species by one of our experienced staff. Then if sparks fly between the pair, we can rehome them with their new friend. Everyone’s a winner! But there’s a lot more to it than that. Whether it’s a rabbit, guinea pig, ferret, or other small animal, we need to think about that pet’s individual needs.
As you can imagine, it’s not always plain sailing. Biscuit, a three-year-old dwarf lop rabbit, had no less than three mixes before finding ‘the one’. She’d been handed into Woodgreen by her owner, who was emigrating and unable to take Biscuit with her. Aside from her claws needing a clip, Biscuit was in good health and ready to hop into a new home. The challenge was finding one with another rabbit that she would bond with.
After the unsuccessful attempts to mix Biscuit (she’s very particular about her choice of new friends), we found her the perfect match at our centre. That rabbit was Munch, a two-year-old Harlequin cross. Like Biscuit, his owner had to give her up when they moved home. “They hit it off right from the start”, says Charles. “This is a great example of rabbits deciding who they want to pair with.”
While waiting for their forever home, they’re in the care of Woodgreen fosterer Laura, who tells us: “These guys have so much character. Biscuit took a while to warm to her new temporary home, but now she’s very happy and always coming up to say hello. They’re great together and are always following each other around, rearranging their home together or stealing food from the other one. You’d think they’ve been best friends all their lives.”