Rabbits found in crisp boxes named after snacks

A family of eight rabbits found abandoned inside empty crisp boxes at a quarry on the outskirts of Edinburgh have been renamed after snacks.

A worker at Hillwood Quarry, Newbridge, noticed three cardboard boxes had been left at the compound’s gates on Monday.

The boxes contained one black adult male and one brown adult female, two brown juvenile males and four babies.

All the rabbits are now being cared for at the Scottish SPCA’s Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre at Balerno, where they have been given affectionate nicknames by staff.

The adult male, believed to be the dad, has been named Quaver and the adult female mother has been called Dorito.

The young males are McCoy and Walker and the babies are Skip, Hula, Frazzle and Wotsit.

SSPCA inspector Stuart Murray said: “Thankfully the rabbits were unharmed but whoever abandoned them had little concern for their

welfare.

“They were dumped by the gates like rubbish and they could easily have escaped from the boxes and come to harm as the quarry is located in a busy industrial estate.”

He added: “It may be that their owner has become overwhelmed with rabbits, possibly through unplanned litters, but there’s no excuse for abandoning animals.

“It’s a real shame because they are all in good condition and have been well handled which suggests they have been cared for up until now.

“We’ll look after them until we can find them all loving new homes, but in the mean time we are appealing to anyone with information to contact our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”