Informed ownership and lower social deprivation are associated with provision of preventative healthcare for pet rabbits.

Owner education and socioeconomic resources drive preventative rabbit healthcare uptake.

This study analyzed preventative veterinary healthcare uptake among rabbit owners using data from the PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report surveys (2018-2023), examining the impact of COVID-19 and cost of living crisis. Using interrupted time series and binary logistic regression analyses, researchers found that social deprivation significantly influenced preventative care provision. In high deprivation areas, booster vaccination declined post-pandemic with incomplete recovery, while microchipping and worming uptake declined significantly. Low deprivation areas showed disruption in booster vaccination and veterinary registration with partial recovery. Key protective factors for preventative healthcare included owner income above median, seeking pre-acquisition advice, acquiring rabbits from rescue centers, and housing rabbits with companions. Owner knowledge and informed decision-making were critical determinants of welfare provision. The findings underscore health disparities in pet healthcare access and identify practical interventions—including targeted education, rescue center acquisition promotion, and social support strategies—that veterinary professionals and animal welfare organizations can implement to improve rabbit health outcomes across socioeconomic demographics.

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