Black rabbits are the most likely to be overlooked by potential adopters as the RSPCA revealed an increase in the number of pets being abandoned.

The North West Kent branch, which covers Gravesend, and all DA and BR8 postcodes, revealed it has had to rescue more than 50 abandoned and unwanted rabbits so far this year and is not slowing down.

Compared to the 52 rabbits rescued so far in 2022, the branch had to rescue just 20 rabbits in all of 2021.

Branch manager Becky Blackmore said that the problem of unwanted and abandoned rabbits was "just not nearly so pressing" last year.

She suggested a number of reasons for the rise in abandoned pets, saying: "During lockdown millions of new pets were acquired and many have since found themselves unwanted. The numbers of baby rabbits bred and sold during lockdown was unprecedented and so it may be that many of these abandoned rabbits are from owners coming out of lockdown and realising that they cannot commit to their pets.

"This, added to the cost of living crisis and high veterinary costs, has created a perfect storm.

"Rabbits are notoriously hard to sex and often people end up with multiple unwanted litters."

She added that the misconceptions about rabbits, such as that they are a great "starter pet", add to the problem.

Rabbits are complicated to properly look after, and have a life expectancy of eight to 12 years when well cared for. They also need space, company, and a diet of primarily hay.

Becky said: "2022 started with a bang for us as well as for the 10 rabbits that were dumped in several boxes on New Year's Eve in Sandringham Drive, Dartford. The poor rabbits had no food or water and would have been terrified with the fireworks and noise overnight.

"All but one survived the ordeal and were found lovely new homes."

While the branch has found homes for most of the rescued rabbits, it has found that the rabbits most often overlooked by potential adopters are black rabbits.

Seven of the 52 rabbits rescued this year were black, and all but one of those are still at the rescue centre after six months.

Two black rabbits, Hector and Sarah, were rescued with their litter of kits, while Sarah was already pregnant with another litter - Johnny, Ash and Meena. Despite being very friendly, and used to children and other animals, all are yet to find a home.

The charity have socialised the rabbits and given them plenty of human contact ready to be adopted.

Becky added: "The expression 'breed like rabbits' is certainly true, as many of the female bunnies we take in have a litter of kits and are already pregnant with another litter."

She continued that one female rabbit, if left un-neutered, can be responsible for more than 80 babies in just a year.

Across the board, black animals, whether it be dogs, cats, or rabbits, are often overlooked in rescue centres, which means they often stay much longer than other animals.

She continued: "This is thought to be because they don't stand out to potential adopters. This means they often have longer stays than other animals. They have seen their more colourful rabbit friends rush off to their new homes.

"Our black rabbits are amongst the friendliest of all of the rabbits, and they have cared for and have seen different coloured rabbits come and go while they patiently wait."

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has also confirmed that its longest-stay dogs are very often black greyhounds.

The RSPCA found that the average length of stay at its rescue shelters for black cats is 30 days, compared to 23 days for tabbies and 19 for ginger cats.

Becky suggested that this is because they look similar, and don't stand out as much to those looking to adopt.

Another theory is that black animals are harder to photograph and are therefore less appealing for people searching the internet for new pets.

She said: "It is true that our extended family of black rabbits do look very similar to each other and we think this has left them overlooked as many rabbits have come and gone this year.

"This is a shame as they are our happiest and friendliest bunnies and will make lovely pets. Sarah and Hector are inseparable. They like to lounge about together, watching the world go by.

"We thought we would take advantage of Halloween to show you that black rabbits are every bit as beautiful as the famous Halloween black cats. We are confident that our black rabbits will bring you good luck and many years of happiness!"

She added: "The RSPCA has found that rabbits are the most commonly neglected pet in Britain. For anyone with the time, space and money, the RSPCA will be delighted to talk to you about adopting a pair of our neutered and vaccinated rabbits."

The RSPCA currently has more than 150 rabbits in need of homes.

The branch has also issued a warning ahead of Bonfire Night, and some advice for owners on how to keep outdoor pets such as rabbits safe and reduce stress during firework displays.

They suggest owners plan ahead and partly cover outside cages and pens with blankets to keep it soundproofed and hidden, with an area for the animals to look out.

Owners should also provide plenty of bedding for them to burrow in, and consider bringing them indoors.