If you own a rabbit there’s no avoiding the fact that sometimes you’re going to have to put them in situations that they may not necessarily enjoy. One particularly scary event for a rabbit is a visit to the vet but as skittish animals, what is the best way to get to places with a rabbit? is it ok to take a rabbit in a car, and how can you do this safely without causing too much stress? This is what we’re looking at today. Here’s a quick summary of what we found out.
You can take a rabbit in a car providing that it is in a well-secured pet carrier. Studies have shown that having the pet carrier behind the passenger seat in the footwell is safest. It is not safe to have the rabbit on a passenger’s lap during driving.
Of course, that’s the short answer but if it’s still unclear, stick around for a while longer, we’ll show you exactly where to position a carrier when taking a rabbit in the car and also explain exactly how you can reduce the stress on your rabbit during a necessary road trip.
Why taking a rabbit in a car is unavoidable
Rabbits will need to go places occasionally, be it trips to the vet to have check-ups or yearly injections, dropping them off at the shelter before you go off on holiday or even just taking them to visit a relative or friend (I can’t be the only one who takes my rabbits to visit their human Grandma?) traveling by car (or even plane) is sometimes necessary.
Despite not being particularly relaxing for a rabbit, a car is still a better choice than most alternatives in terms of getting them home as quickly as possible.
Traveling in a car is terrifying to a rabbit, with the roar of a car’s engine, the unfamiliarity of the surroundings, and the unrecognizable voices coming from the radio all being contributing factors. It’s therefore important to do what we can to make a trip as comfortable as possible.
Transporting rabbits safely by car
Another obvious concern when taking a rabbit on a car journey is how to secure them. Rabbits are very fragile animals, they have delicate spines and even holding a rabbit incorrectly can result in injury. Naturally, this means they cannot be sat on a lap or in the passenger seat, a frightened rabbit may jump off and potentially cause an accident, or if the driver breaks just a little harder than normal the rabbit might be thrown off.
To safely transport a rabbit in a car a suitable carrier should be used which will need to be secured in place (regardless of whether there is another passenger in the car).
A rabbit has a much better chance of survival in the event of a serious accident if it is secured in a carrier
Where to put a rabbit carrier in a car
As far as the position of the carrier in the car goes there is much speculation about this however some crash tests carried out by a German Motor Club may provide the answer.
The ADAC, an organization similar to AAA in the US performed several crash tests in 2008 and tested the safest way to transport pets. Several things stood out in their study and below is a summary of their findings:
Front Passenger Seat – Placing a carrier here with an airbag active would almost certainly be a disaster for a pet in the event of an accident, while an airbag going off may cause minor whiplash to a human, the effect on an animal can be catastrophic.
Front Footwell – While safer than the passenger seat the impact of hitting the rear end of other vehicles may cause injury or death to an animal even in a carrier.
Back Seat – the crash test demonstrated that in the event of a collision at 30 miles per hour a pet carrier (and of course the pet included) would fly forward, possibly injuring the driver or going straight through the windscreen, obviously leaving little chance for the survival of the pet and also putting the driver at risk.
When the same test position was again carried out this time using a safety belt to secure the carrier in place the force of the crash still destroyed the carrier (the animal dummy was of course thrown, a live pet would likely be killed or injured).
So where was the safest place in the car for the pet carrier?
The study found that placing the pet carrier behind the passenger seat in the footwell was the safest place to put your pet. The longest side of the carrier should be facing in the direction of travel so that if the pet is thrown forward in the event of a crash it will only be shown a short distance.
Move the passenger seat forward to provide space in the rear footwell. Fold a thick towel into four and place it in the footwell before placing the carrier on top as described above.
Make sure the rear of the carrier is flush to the vehicle’s rear seats. The purpose of the thick towel is to reduce the vibrations through the carry case from the road when the car is in motion.
Carefully move the passenger seat back so that the back of the car seat is flush with the front of the carrier. The carrier will now be secure in the footwell between the front and rear seats.
What sort of carrier should I buy?
When choosing a carrier you’ll want something strong and sturdy. Carriers moulded from hard plastic are ideal. These carriers are generally lightweight but very strong and reliable enough not to come apart when transporting rabbits between your home and the vehicle.
Choose a carrier size that is large enough for the rabbit to be able to turn around and stretch its legs fully. If you have a pair of bonded rabbits that you will be transporting they should be transported together and can fit into one carrier as they will cuddle next to each other for comfort. Car journeys are actually a great way to bond a pair of rabbits as even those who don’t get on will snuggle up together for moral support.
A carrier with a frontal opening is our preferred option. Getting a rabbit into a carrier can be difficult but by using a carrier with an opening at the front you may be able to coax the animal in before it realizes what you’re up to. Simply, put some hay in and one of your rabbit’s favourite treats, and if the rabbit hops in to explore, carefully shut the door behind it.
How to prepare a carrier for a rabbit before a car journey
- Separate all sections of the carrier and clean fully. Remove any old hay that may be left in from previous excursions.
- Line the bottom of the carrier with newspaper to absorb any pee the rabbit may do during the trip.
- Fill the carrier with hay and reassemble.
Reducing stress on a rabbit when traveling by car
So now you know where to position the rabbit but how else can you ease the stress of traveling for the rabbit?
Once the car gets moving engine noise will be unavoidable however the towel you placed underneath the carrier will ensure road vibrations are minimal. Another consideration you should make when transporting a rabbit by car is noise from the radio.
If you talk to your rabbit often he should be used to your voice however with the radio on the rabbit may think that strangers are nearby. With a car journey being stressful enough its better to keep the radio off (or at least very low).
When rabbits are in certain situations, for example during nail clipping, darkness can be used to reduce stress on the animal. For nail clipping, this might mean gently putting your hand over the rabbit’s eyes while for a car journey the darker the environment inside the carrier, the safer the rabbit will feel.
Most plastic moulded carriers on the market have ventilation slats that allow a small amount of light in while keeping a good airflow within the carrier. You won’t ever get full darkness without compromising the airflow, choosing a darker color of carrier will achieve a lower light level that will reduce the rabbits stress when the car gets going.
Summary & tips for a car journey with a rabbit
| Action | Explanation |
| 1. Consider the Temperature | Rabbits don’t do well with temperature extremes so keep the temperature inside the car at a comfortable level. Avoid blowing draughts on to the carrier through air conditioning and most importantly of all never leave a rabbit inside a parked car without any ventilation. |
| 2. Remember Water | Provide your rabbit with a water bottle and attach it to the outside of the carrier. This can be fixed with the spot through one of the ventilation slats. Do not use a bowl of water inside the carrier (for obvious reasons!). |
| 3. Take vegetables | Providing or keeping a supply of vegetables handy also helps to hydrate the rabbit on longer journeys. |
| 4. The towel trick | Don’t forget to place a towel under the carrier before you place it down to reduce vibration from the road, especially in older vehicles with clapped out suspension. |
| 5. Prepare for a breakdown | Even if the journey is a short one, take along at least a couple of handfuls of pellets and some extra hay and a large bottle of water in the event that you suffer a breakdown and become stranded overnight, dont forget your own emergency supplies also. |
| 6. Talk to the rabbit | Your rabbit will be understandably nervous on a car journey so talk to it. Although it won’t be able to tell you, it will certainly appreciate hearing your voice and knowing you are nearby. |
| 7. Keep them secured | Check and double-check that the rabbit carrier is properly shut, the consequences of a rabbit escaping its carrier while driving on a highway could be devastating. Never let your rabbit out for a run in an unsecured area where you may lose it or there may be predators around. |
Everyone will inevitably make their own decisions when taking their rabbit on a road trip and no method will ever fully eradicate stress on the rabbit, however, we hope the method described in this short article will allow you to make some wiser choices.
Further Reading
Transporting Rabbits RSPCA.com
How to Travel With a Rabbit in the Car thesprucepets.com
Travelling With Your Rabbits vets4pets.com
