Search for owners of giant 7kg pet rabbit found in Dublin

The 7kg Flemish rabbit was found in Mulhuddart last Thursday and the DSPCA is looking to reunite the rabbit with its owner.

“She’s a pet, she wouldn’t survive in the wild,” said Gillian Bird at the DSPCA. “They wouldn't have the speed to get away from a predator.”

The un-microchipped rabbit weighs 7.1kgs, about the size of a golden retriever, and is estimated to be about two years old.

Ms Bird said the breed of the rabbit is a “very big animal” but she is very friendly and in good health.

“A proper adult rabbit is big as it is, but these things are a monstrosity. They are nearly the size of a short legged golden retriever,” she said.

“We don’t see very many [Flemish rabbits], we would see maybe one or two in a year. They wouldn’t be very common and would be more of a house pet than an outdoor rabbit.”

Nobody has yet come forward to claim the rabbit and the DSPCA said if they cannot find the owner then they will start looking for a new home.

They have named the giant bunny Queen Maeve in the meantime.

“She is used to being handled but she would need somebody who is experienced with rabbits,” said Ms Bird.

“They suffer from health issues and they are not the sort of rabbit you can just leave in a hutch. They need a lot of space.”

Ms Bird said rabbits can be house trained to use litter boxes and make an ideal house pet.

“They are an animal that does need companionship. Ideally you would litter-train them and use them as a house pet,” she added.

The DSPCA has a number of rabbits at its shelter looking for homes and are encouraging the public to adopt rather than purchase a new rabbit.