Animal Accommodation – Distinction
For this task, I chose to evaluate the rabbit’s accommodation. D&R’s accommodation is the
one I solely focussed on.
The accommodation that D and R live in is a hutch within the stables of the outside animal
area. Their hutch follows guidelines of welfare legislation as it is to an appropriate size to fit
both rabbits and allows them to have their own space if needed. The hutch is made from
wood, and every year is re-painted with durable paint. This prevents the wood rotting away
in the colder and wetter months and keeps the rabbits safe as the hutches don’t cave in due
to rotting.
Within the hutch are layers of newspaper on the floor which is covered by a layer of wood
shavings. These wood shavings and newspaper are a comfortable flooring to the rabbits and
do not cause any pain to the rabbits’ feet when they travel up and down the hutches. The
substrate is not toxic to the rabbits either which prevents any illness or disease. The
newspaper also helps with the prevention of wood rot when the rabbits urinate. The wood
shavings do not soak up alot of the liquid and if the liquid continuously went on to the
bottom of the hutch without some sort of protection the hutch would eventually cave in
due to the wood becoming damp and rotting.
The two larger doors of the run have metal wire in the middle, in a square welded mesh
design. This allows the rabbits to access fresh air but also prevents predators from getting
near the rabbits. It also allows somewhere for their water bottle to be held.
The stable that the hutches are placed in are locked at night so this double protection
The rabbits also have a run which is made from metal, with a plastic roof, the size of the run
is suitable as it follows welfare legislation guidelines. The rabbits are also protected from the
rain due to the plastic roof, however if the rabbits focus on chewing on the mesh around the
walls, or digging through the ground it is an easy escape route so the run could be improved
by the ‘walls’ being stuck into the ground so no escape route is possible.
For this task, I chose to evaluate the rabbit’s accommodation. D&R’s accommodation is the
one I solely focussed on.
The accommodation that D and R live in is a hutch within the stables of the outside animal
area. Their hutch follows guidelines of welfare legislation as it is to an appropriate size to fit
both rabbits and allows them to have their own space if needed. The hutch is made from
wood, and every year is re-painted with durable paint. This prevents the wood rotting away
in the colder and wetter months and keeps the rabbits safe as the hutches don’t cave in due
to rotting.
Within the hutch are layers of newspaper on the floor which is covered by a layer of wood
shavings. These wood shavings and newspaper are a comfortable flooring to the rabbits and
do not cause any pain to the rabbits’ feet when they travel up and down the hutches. The
substrate is not toxic to the rabbits either which prevents any illness or disease. The
newspaper also helps with the prevention of wood rot when the rabbits urinate. The wood
shavings do not soak up alot of the liquid and if the liquid continuously went on to the
bottom of the hutch without some sort of protection the hutch would eventually cave in
due to the wood becoming damp and rotting.
The two larger doors of the run have metal wire in the middle, in a square welded mesh
design. This allows the rabbits to access fresh air but also prevents predators from getting
near the rabbits. It also allows somewhere for their water bottle to be held.
The stable that the hutches are placed in are locked at night so this double protection
The rabbits also have a run which is made from metal, with a plastic roof, the size of the run
is suitable as it follows welfare legislation guidelines. The rabbits are also protected from the
rain due to the plastic roof, however if the rabbits focus on chewing on the mesh around the
walls, or digging through the ground it is an easy escape route so the run could be improved
by the ‘walls’ being stuck into the ground so no escape route is possible.
