An animal sanctuary owner overrun with abandoned rabbits says they are the most abused and neglected pets prone to having “miserable lives”.

Margaret Todd, who runs the Lord Whisky charity near Canterbury, fears dozens of bunnies are languishing unloved in filthy hutches across the county after their owners lost interest in them.

She is currently caring for 20 unwanted rabbits and is now urging potential owners to think twice about having one unless they can provide the care they need.

Other animal welfare charities have also reported incidents of neglect and cruelty, whereby one animal was even found dead and discarded, wrapped in clingfilm, which the RSPCA investigated.

Describing how the animals are often forced to suffer when new owners lose interest, Mrs Todd said. “People get them for their children because they are cute and don’t appear to need much.

“But when the novelty wears off and the children lose interest, the poor things can end up having miserable lives with overgrown nails and dirty bedding.

“They might see someone for five minutes a day when a handful of food is thrown into the hutch.”

The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund agrees, and estimates that as many as 67,000 end up in rescue centres every year.

“Despite being the third most popular pet in the UK, rabbits are among the most abused and neglected,” says the charity.

“Too many spend miserable lives confined to a hutch, alone and with little or no space to exercise….”

“Too many spend miserable lives confined to a hutch, alone and with little or no space to exercise.”

Despite the perception, the charity says they do not make good pets for children, and gave insight into their very particular requirements.

“They suffer for their looks because children see a cute, fluffy rabbit in a pet shop and pester their parents to buy it.

“But as prey animals, rabbits are rarely cuddly. In the wild, everything wants to eat them which can make them nervous and they can bite or scratch when stressed.

“When rabbits are picked up, their instinct tells them they’ve been caught by a predator, and they often react aggressively.

“Most good owners will only pick up the rabbits to check their health. The pleasure is in watching them display their natural behaviours.

“Also, children often lose interest quickly and the rabbit can be left alone in a hutch at the end of the garden or even abandoned.”

The charity also says small hutches are unsuitable for rabbits who need space to explore and exercise, as they would in the wild.

“The Victorians kept rabbits in hutches for a convenient meat supply while wild rabbits live in large underground warrens.

“Above ground, they cover a massive area every day. Pet rabbits need the company of other rabbits and an enclosure that’s at least 3m x 2m x 1m high and should never be confined to a hutch.”

They are also concerned that many have unsuitable food when they thrive best on hay and fresh grass which also helps their teeth.

There is, however, a thriving show competition scene for the different varieties, such as the South of England Show across the border in Sussex, and the London Championship Show, with 2,000 rabbits.

But it is the welfare of the many animals whose lives are far from pampered which concerns charities.

At the Lord Whisky Sanctuary, Mrs Todd is in the process of creating a bigger enclosure for its rabbits.

“They are not an animal we get much interest in but, of course, we will happily see them re-homed with an owner who appreciates their needs and can provide for them,” she said.

Call the sanctuary on 01303 862622 for more information.