When a Funding Crisis Closes a Rescue: Why Nibbles Deserves to Stay Open

Since the end of 2022, our funding troubles have been a constant and ever-present companion. They led to the closure of half our rabbit housing and forced us to stop caring for all species of rodent in June 2023. Now, nearly two years on, we’re approaching the end of the line—and facing the heartbreaking reality that this funding crisis could close our rescue for good.

In the next six months, we’ll be forced to close our doors for good.

This past month has been the most difficult I’ve ever faced in Nibbles’ 10-year history. That looming reality has hit me like a freight train. It’s left me feeling utterly powerless—and if it weren’t for the animals currently in my care, I can honestly say I wouldn’t have left my bed for most of the past month.

Rescue is always lived in a state of crisis. There are constant problems to solve: sick animals needing urgent care, enclosures in need of repair, short staffing, impossible to-do lists. And usually, I find a way to fix things. I work longer hours. I push through. I solve the problem.

But this time, I can’t. This isn’t something I can fix with more time or more effort. Despite everything I’ve tried—and I’ll admit, fundraising and promotion are far from my areas of expertise—I haven’t been able to generate the level of support we need to keep Nibbles open. What we need now is a miracle. All I can do is carefully manage the reserves we have left to ensure that the rabbits in our care remain safe, loved, and unaware of the storm raging outside their enclosures, while we search for their forever homes - before our doors close for good.

So this month, I want to take the time to show you why specialist rescues like Nibbles are so vital. To help you understand the daily struggles rabbits and rodents face. To share the passion behind this work. And to make one last, heartfelt appeal—that you’ll join us in making a real and lasting difference to the lives of these often overlooked and forgotten animals.

Sox and Bow were two of the original 125 rabbits whose desperate situation led to the creation of Nibbles in 2015. If a rescue like ours had existed sooner, there would have been just 6 rabbits needing help—not 125. Their story is proof of what happens when specialist support is missing—and what’s possible when it exists. We gave them the second chance they deserved and found them a loving home. Without Nibbles, who will be there for the next Sox and Bow?

The Problems These Animals Face

Despite being among the most common companion animals in the UK—with hundreds of thousands bred, bought, sold, and rehomed each year—rabbits and rodents remain the most misunderstood, neglected, and ignored across all areas of the animal care sector, including rescue.

The list of challenges they face is long—and many are unique to these species. From tiny, unsuitable housing that restricts natural movement and behaviour, to poor diets that lead to obesity, dental disease, and shortened lifespans. From accessories that cause long-term health issues, to the ongoing struggle to access appropriate veterinary care—these animals continue to be let down at every turn. Even today, rabbits and rodents are classed as 'exotics' in the veterinary field, making it harder to find vets with the right knowledge and experience. And when it comes to rescue, specialist centres with the skills, understanding, and passion to meet their needs remain few and far between.

These small, quiet, unassuming animals—often left to sit in silence in inadequate housing—can’t bark when they’re bored. They can’t meow when they’re hungry. And because they’re so often overlooked, many owners don’t realise when something is wrong. Illnesses go unnoticed. Suffering goes unseen. And far too many live short, joyless lives in the name of companionship.

This beautiful rex, Trevor, was one of many we saved just after Nibbles officially opened, when a breeder was giving up his rabbits. The only other offer of ‘help’ came from a man wanting to use them to train his dogs to hunt. There was no other rescue willing or able to take them—but we said yes. The most heartbreaking part? The breeder believed giving them to the dogs would have been a ‘waste of good stock.’ Without Nibbles, what future will animals like this face?

What We See Every Day

At Nibbles, we see the challenges these animals face every single day.

We see it in the people who contact us wanting to hand in an unwanted pet—often for reasons that could have been avoided with the right knowledge, understanding, and forethought before bringing them home.

We see it in the backlash we receive from some would-be adopters—people who don’t understand these animals’ needs, and who become angry when we refuse to place them back into the very conditions we rescued them from. We do everything we can to encourage a shift in perspective, to help people see past what’s been accepted for decades and embrace a welfare-first approach. But instead of choosing to make changes, some choose to attack us instead—accusing us of not caring, simply because we won’t compromise on what these animals actually need to thrive.

And we see the consequences of all this every time a rabbit or rodent arrives in our care.

Most rabbits need to be neutered—an essential part of responsible, welfare-driven care. Many haven’t been vaccinated. Dental problems, digestive issues, and musculoskeletal problems caused by confinement are heartbreakingly common. Some have been kept in such cramped spaces for so long they can no longer hop properly, or even stand on their hind legs.

We also see something that’s harder to describe, but just as damaging: apathy.

For many people, rabbits and rodents aren’t seen as real, feeling beings. I’ve been asked—by people who describe themselves as animal lovers—why I bother with these animals at all. They say they’re boring. That they don’t give anything back.

That kind of attitude is something I’ll never understand.

And when you’re faced with that level of disregard—when the suffering of these animals is unseen, dismissed, or ignored by so many—is it really any surprise that we’re struggling to get the support we need to stay open?

In early 2021, we stepped in to rescue over 30 mice crammed into a single, overcrowded container—unsexed, untreated, and fighting for survival. Respiratory infections were left to spread, injuries were severe, and babies were being born into chaos. One even gave birth on the journey to safety. No one else was willing to help—but Nibbles made the six-hour round trip during lockdown to give them a chance. If we’re forced to close, who will go the extra mile for the next animals like them?

Why Specialist Rescues Like Nibbles Matter

It probably won’t surprise you to hear that we’re passionate about these animals. At Nibbles, we’ve seen—both professionally and personally—the incredible difference that good welfare makes. When rabbits and rodents are given what they truly need, they don’t just survive—they thrive.

We’ve seen the transformation that happens when their care is rooted in science: when they’re provided with spacious, stimulating environments, species-appropriate diets, enriching activities, and access to proper veterinary care. These often-overlooked animals come alive in ways many people never expect—because they’ve never been given the chance to see it.

Alongside rescue and rehoming, one of our core missions is to challenge the apathy and misinformation that surrounds these animals. We’re working to bring their quiet suffering into the spotlight and shift the public perception of what rabbits and rodents are—and what they deserve.

Everything we do at Nibbles is guided by one clear mission: to improve the lives of these commonly kept but poorly understood companions. That principle shapes every decision—from how we care for animals at the centre, to our intake policies, to the welfare standards we require for adoption.

Because rabbits and rodents are our sole focus, we’re able to dedicate all of our time, energy, and resources to their wellbeing. We stay up to date with the latest welfare recommendations and continually adapt our practices—not just for the animals in our care, but to ensure the information we share with the public and our adopters reflects best practice.

This is why specialist rescues like Nibbles are so vital. Not just to save lives—but to change them. Through rehoming, education, and advocacy, we’re creating a future where these animals are finally given the care and respect they deserve.

In many general rescues, rabbits and rodents are either excluded entirely or treated as an afterthought—pushed to the side in favour of their more popular companions, dogs and cats. But we know, all too well, just how urgently these species need dedicated, specialist care from teams who understand their needs and value them for the extraordinary creatures they truly are.

Nigel was dumped at another rescue with the label ‘demon rabbit’ after allegedly biting a child. When he arrived at Nibbles, it was clear he hadn’t been dangerous—he’d been scared. His reactions told a story of teasing and torment, and aggression was his only defence. Nigel never fully recovered from that trauma and was never a candidate for rehoming—but he found safety in our sanctuary programme, which offers a home for life to rabbits and rodents with complex behavioural or medical needs. Without Nibbles, there is no sanctuary for animals like Nigel.

So What Happens When We’re Gone?

For the past two years, I’ve felt like I’ve been running on empty—doing everything I can just to keep Nibbles going. With half the centre closed, essential repairs left undone, and only a skeleton team to keep things running, we've had no other option but to turn record number of animals away.

And now, I’m facing the reality that in six months, there’ll be no Nibbles at all—no safe place for rabbits in need. So what happens then? What are their options?

Pets at Home adoption centres might seem like a good alternative, but in practice, they’re far from it. Just like buying an animal off the shop floor, there are no welfare checks in place. There’s no guarantee that adopters have done their research or can meet even the most basic welfare needs. Rabbits aren’t neutered or vaccinated, and staff frequently give poor advice—like keeping rabbits as singles because of aggressive behaviour (behaviour often caused by being left unneutered in the first place). We've seen the fallout firsthand—many animals adopted through this system have ended up at Nibbles after the novelty wore off, or when problems arose. Almost all were kept in poor conditions and fed inappropriate diets.

Online trading sites are another common route for unwanted pets, with listings like “Free to Good Home” still widespread. But the reality is far from kind. Many animals end up passed from one unsuitable home to another, living in cramped, filthy cages, suffering untreated health issues, or being resold just weeks or months later.

And then there’s the most heartbreaking reality of all: abandonment.

In the last two years, we’ve seen a significant rise in rabbits and rodents being dumped—left to fend for themselves because rescues are full and people don’t want to deal with the “problem.” Some are lucky and found in time. Many aren’t. They die cold, alone, and terrified—forgotten.

We are the only specialist rescue for rabbits and rodents in South West Wales.

We are their only real hope for safety, for healing, for a second chance. Without Nibbles, there’s nowhere left for them to go—and no one fighting to give them the lives they deserve.

Bridget and her five babies arrived in desperate need—Bridget herself weak, hunched, and battling a severe infection in her right eye. We’re fighting with everything we have to save her life. But this little family may be the last ever intake at Nibbles, as we face the devastating reality of closure. Right to the end, we’re doing everything we can to give rabbits like Bridget a chance. But without urgent support, there will be no one left to answer the next call for help.

No Other Option

The bottom line is this: Nibbles is needed just as much—if not more—today as it was when we opened in 2015.

We’re not closing because we’ve run out of animals to help. We still turn them away.

We’re not closing because we lack the facilities or the team to care for them.

We’re not closing because we’ve become bored or disillusioned, or because we’ve lost the drive to keep fighting.

We’re closing because we haven’t been able to gain the support we need to stay open past the end of the year. It’s as simple—and as devastating—as that. All the passion, dedication, late nights, and early mornings in the world can’t change the maths.

We’re closing because we can’t continue to cover our basic monthly costs. And we will never put the animals in our care at risk by stretching beyond what we can safely manage.

My heart broke when we had to close housing units.

It broke again when we sealed the rodent cabin shut.

And it breaks every time I say no to an animal in need.

But now… now it feels like my soul has shattered. Because with less than a quarter of our target raised in the first half of the year, all I can do now is focus on the rabbits currently in our care and do my best to find them loving homes before the centre closes.

Because unless something changes—unless the rabbit and rodent-loving community comes together to support us, to become part of our team, to be the reason the next animal gets help—we have no other option.

Without a miracle, these animals will be left to an uncertain future.

The stories and faces shared in this blog are just a handful of the hundreds of rabbits and rodents whose lives have been transformed by Nibbles over the last 10 years. Each one is here because of people like you. To all our supporters—old and new—thank you. You’ve been instrumental in making these second chances possible.

Now, we’re asking you to help us keep writing stories like these. By making a monthly pledge—even just £2—you can be part of the next rescue, the next recovery, the next happy ending. You can be the reason we don’t have to close our doors. Please, visit our pledge page and become a lifeline for the next animal in need.