Comedian, actor and creator of The Office has joined the opposition to the proposed “ranches” where 30 000 rabbits would be bred and slaughtered to be turned into fur and meat.

Meat and fur producer T&S Rabbits already operates four sites in the UK, selling meat and live rabbits to wholesalers.

Fur farming has been banned here since 2003. But a loophole allows T&S to flog rabbit fur accessories such as £200 scarves, £275 bags, £130 hats, £85 cushions and whole pelts at £28. They can be sold as they are a by-product of the meat trade.

Animal lover Ricky, star of The Office and After Life said: “Britain doesn’t need rabbit meat and fur farms, we don’t need to find new ways to exploit animals for our stomachs or our wardrobes. If these plans go ahead it will mean thousands of baby rabbits bred and taken from hundreds of mother rabbits who are treated like breeding machines.”

T&S, based in Grantham, Lincs, sparked controversy a decade ago when it announced plans for a rabbit battery farm, with animals in mesh cages.

Original source: https://www.mirror.co.uk