Nottinghamshire rabbit farm under pressure from anti-fur activists

The site sees regular protests by groups of animal welfare activists

A Nottinghamshire rabbit farm is coming under sustained pressure to close from animal welfare activists.

T&S Rabbits in East Bridgford says it breeds the animals for meat and butchers may sell the fur on as a by-product of this process.

Activists dispute this and have been holding demonstrations outside most weeks.

Two other farms run by the company - in Rutland and Derbyshire - have already closed.

The Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 states it is an offence to keep animals in England solely or primarily for slaughter for the value of their fur.

The protest group Shut Down T&S Rabbits claims meat sales are a way around this.

A protester - who declined to give his name - said: "We believe there is an incredibly low demand, if any demand, for rabbit meat in this country.

"But they can sell the fur as long as they sell some of the rabbits for meat.

"We are a peaceful campaign. We come here, we bring placards, we chant, we make our voices heard for the rabbits," he said.

The group Shut Down T&S Rabbits believes the main focus of the site is fur production

The farm has hired security and regularly deploys a drone to monitor the site.

Despite this the site was raided last month with a number of rabbits taken after fences around the hutches were cut.

Shut Down T&S Rabbits said it was not connected to the raid but celebrated the rabbits being taken away.

Manager Anne Wright said the fur was a by-product of legitimate meat production

Anne Wright has run T&S Rabbits at East Bridgford for three years.

She insisted the rabbits were part of the food supply system and conditions for the animals were good.

For security reasons she would not reveal how many animals were kept at the farm.

"The fur is a by-product from when they are killed and the meat is eaten," she said.

"If the fur is any good it does go away but we don't have anything to do with that, it's up to the butcher.

"It is like when you kill a cow and you get the leather, the cows aren't bred for the leather are they?"

The firm said the rabbits were kept in excellent conditions

A government watchdog, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), said it was working with trading standards after welfare concerns were raised about the farm.

It was not able to confirm who raised the concerns.

Ms Wright said inspectors were pleased with the conditions of the farm describing it as "like bunny heaven".