Pet shop owner warns Easter rabbit trend could lead to abandoned animals

With Easter Sunday approaching, Shauna Geraghty said some prospective buyers appear to view rabbits as little more than seasonal accessories. File picture

A pet store owner has issued a stark warning against the growing trend of buying rabbits as Easter gifts, saying many of the animals risk being abandoned once the holiday has passed.

Shauna Geraghty, who runs Shauna’s Pet Store in Dublin, said she has been inundated in recent days with what she describes as “reckless” requests from customers seeking to purchase rabbits as novelty presents for young children.