Meet the animal charity worker who is keeping 20 rescued rabbits in her OWN back garden and says “it’s a full-time job” looking after them.

Animal lover Rachel Parsons, 45, has had to open up her home because the charity she works for does not have its own rescue centre.

After taking them in March 2021, Rachel had to put up predator proof enclosures in her back garden, with built-in tunnels where the fluffy creatures can run freely and safely.

(Image: Rachel Parsons / SWNS)

Alongside her full-time job at Croydon Animal Samaritans where she volunteers as a trustee, she gets up at 6.30am to feed the rabbits before the school run.

Between 20 rabbits Rachel says she gets two bags of kale or four large handfuls of herbs per day, as well as a “very generous handful” of good quality hay, but "wouldn't have it any other way".

Rachel, from Purley, Croydon, south London, said: "It's taken over my whole house but how could I say no?

"They've already been through so much, I just want to do all I can to help.

"The charity sadly doesn't have premises at the moment and we are desperate for it.”

The rabbits all have their own personalities. Angie is a three-year-old French Lop, and is a gentle giant weighing in at 6.3kg.

Mimikyu, is an “energetic and goofy” five-month-old Rex cross, while 11-month-old Timothy, a Himalayan who was found in a tiny cage with nothing but a Christmas bauble, is an “most loving and affectionate rabbit”. One of the most popular rabbits, Winston, a Lop who is thought to be between two and five years old, was found in a cardboard box in a communal bin in July 2023.

“Everyone fell in love with his story because he looked so sad, but he’s now got a lovely home with another rabbit," Rachel said.

"Rabbits are classed as exotic pets, so they need to be checked on regularly.

"It's hard work and a full-time job but animals are my life."

Rachel, who was previously a special needs teacher, joined Croydon Animal Samaritans as a volunteer in 2020 after covid, and became a trustee in 2023.

Since then, Rachel has rehomed 180 rabbits, with the policy of always rehoming them in pairs so that they are not alone.

Rachel, who is married to Edward Parson, 48, who works in finance, shares children, Daisy, 15, and Samuel, 12.

The charity - which is entirely run by unpaid volunteers - pay for animals to be spayed, vaccinated, neutered, and taken to the vets.

The charity had a bill of £184k last year, and rely on fundraisers and food donations in local food bins to keep going.

Rachel also opens the garden once a year as part of the national garden scheme, that brings in around 400 people to look around the garden and see the rabbits, and raises £2000.

According to the charity, there are over 100,000 rabbits living in rescue centres in the UK.

They work closely with Bunny Angels, a charity who help rescues across the country who have too many rabbits to look after, and finds other places for them to stay.

The number of animals being surrendered has increased, but lack of funding meant the charity has found itself unable to shelter them before being rehomed.

Many of the rabbits have escaped a life of neglect and abandonment. One rabbit called Derek, a Dutch who is about 18 months old, was given to Rachel in a plastic bag at the vets in November 2023, after he was found on someone’s driveway.

Annabelle, five, a Dutch, came to the charity after living in a tiny cage for five years and had to lose a third of her body weight before a vet would spay her.

“We were just finding that we were getting more and more phone calls with people wanting to bring in their rabbits or telling us rabbits that had been found," the mum-of-two said.

“I had my own two rabbits, Pipkin who was 10, and Penny, who was six, and then I fell in love with Colin and bonded the three of them.

"I sadly lost Pipkin earlier this year, but it meant Penny wasn’t on her own because she had Colin.

“I have a few volunteers to help feed the rabbits and clean them out, but it’s definitely a full-time job.

"Spending time with rabbits is therapeutic because it's quiet and very peaceful.

“But it’s heart-breaking that so many rabbits have been abandoned or neglected – they all deserve a loving home.”

Rachel also has Cockapoo called Neville, aged seven, a 19-year-old rescue cat, Cybele, and seven rescue chickens.

At the moment, there are 30 rabbits on the waiting list for somewhere to stay, but Rachel does not have enough space in her garden to look after them.

Rachel said: “Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK, but sadly they are also the most neglected pets. They’re very misunderstood.

“Lots of pet shops are not giving the correct advice because they need to be neutered, and they need to be vaccinated.

"When they come to us, we have to pay for all of that which is extremely expensive.

“Some people apply online for a rabbit, and they have a hutch and think that’s ok, when they really need a minimum space of three metres by two metres.

“When the rabbits do find their forever homes, I love hearing updates from the new owners. Sometimes it’s like seeing a completely different rabbit."

To donate to the charity, visit www.croydonanimalsamaritans.co.uk/ You can also follow @rachelsrescuerabbits on Instagram for more updates.