Pets at Home slammed over ‘interactive’ play areas with small animals

Pets at Home has come under fire over plans to launch interactive ‘pet villages’ in its stores, with animal charities warning they could frighten smaller animals.

They have so far been unveiled at two stores and feature tunnels that children can crawl through to get a closer look at the rabbits and guinea pigs in their pens above.

However, the RSPCA warned that youngsters in close proximity banging on the glass or being noisy risked terrifying the pets.

‘The pet village has the potential to encourage very close contact between people and rabbits which, if not closely monitored, risks fear and distress,’ a spokesman said.

‘As prey species, rabbits and guinea pigs need to have both plenty of space and plenty of areas in which they can escape and hide away from what they find frightening if they feel scared.’

The charity told The Independent that since voicing its concerns they have been reassured by Pets at Home that animal welfare comes first and each animal’s individual needs will be provided for.

Isobel Hutchinson, director of Animal Aid, speaking to The Times similarly called the move a ‘cynical marketing ploy will result in vulnerable animals being subjected to yet more stress’.

More than 2,500 people have signed a petition titled ‘Stop Pets at Home turning their animal enclosures into a playground’.

It criticised the design of the areas, saying it took away the animals’ floor space and provided the rabbits and guinea pigs ‘no ability to escape and have somewhere they feel safe’.

A spokesman for Pets at Home said they care ‘deeply’ about their animals.

He added: ‘All our enclosures exceed minimum pet shop licensing standards, and our new designs provide nearly twice as much space for each pet than the minimum regulations stipulate.

‘This also means that each pet has the correct provision for its requirements and includes space for them to relax and hide.’