A COUNCIL is urging people to think carefully about buying a pet after rubbish collectors found a rabbit dumped in a bin.

Lewisham Council’s refuse crew spotted the three-month-old bunny in a rubbish bin in Amersham Road, New Cross, on May 20.

They put it in a cardboard box and took it to the council’s animal welfare department.

Animal welfare officer Gueorgui Anguelov said: “Thanks to the vigilance of the crew they saved the life of this bunny. We want to say a big thank you to them.”

He added: “They are really lovely animals because they are fluffy but at the end of the day they are a pet which needs to be looked after. It’s not a toy.”

The rabbit, which has been named Jim by staff, is now being cared for by an RSPCA inspector until a permanent home can be found for him.

Mr Anguelov, who has been an animal welfare officer for seven years, said: “When people decide to buy an animal they need to ask themselves if they are ready to have a pet, if they have enough time to care for it and how much it will cost to look after it.

“We want to make people aware they should not buy pets in the spare of the moment.”

For more information about the animal welfare service, visit lewisham.gov.uk/Environment/AnimalWelfare or call 020 8314 2098.