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

Despite being a popular pet, rabbits often suffer poor welfare including lack of veterinary healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to veterinary services and the cost of living crisis further increased the financial burden of pet ownership. This study investigated preventative veterinary healthcare uptake among rabbit owners before and after COVID-19. Data were utilised from the PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report surveys conducted between 2018 and 2023. Interrupted time series analysis was used to explore preventative veterinary healthcare provision before and after COVID-19, split by area deprivation levels. Binary logic regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between preventative veterinary healthcare provision and factors including owner demographics, experience of rabbit ownership, pre-acquisition research, source and reason for acquisition, rabbit housing, and companionship. In high deprivation areas, booster vaccination uptake declined at the start of the pandemic, with only partial recovery, while microchipping and worming uptake declined significantly post-COVID-19. In low deprivation areas, booster vaccination and veterinary registration were disrupted by the onset of the pandemic, with only partial recovery in booster vaccination uptake, while veterinary registrations returned to their pre-COVID-19 trend. Owners above median income reported feeling well informed on their rabbit's welfare needs. Seeking pre-acquisition advice, acquiring a rabbit from a rescue centre and housing with another rabbit were associated with higher uptake of preventative veterinary healthcare both before and after COVID-19. These findings can inform veterinary professionals, animal welfare charities, breeders and pet shop staff in developing strategies to promote the health and welfare of pet rabbits.