Meet the Von Trapp bunnies - these cute fellas were rescued in Bedfordshire and their story sends a serious message to pet owners

But this cute picture has a serious message from the RSPCA who are urging rabbit owners to get their pets neutered and avoid unwanted litters.

The advice comes after the animal welfare charity was called in to help a Bedfordshire family whose rabbits kept breeding.

The charity’s animal collection officer Kate Wright said: “We were approached and asked for help by a family who had a male and female rabbit that kept breeding.

“The male rabbit has a serious head tilt so I was concerned about his welfare. The owner agreed to sign all nine bunnies over to us so we could get them the proper care they needed.

“The father and mother clearly kept breeding and had two litters with them, two older kits around four-months-old, and five young babies which are around three-weeks-old.

“Thankfully, they’re all in good condition and have clearly been well cared for. It seems the breeding just got out of hand and the owners didn’t know what to do.”

The rabbits have now all been moved to the RSPCA’s Bedfordshire south branch who will care for them until they are ready to be rehomed. The male rabbit is still receiving veterinary treatment.

They’ve been named after the Sound of Music’s Von Trapp family - Maria and Captain, the parents, and Liesl, Freidrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta and Gretl.

Kate added: “Rabbits should be kept in pairs as they’re really sociable and need company but it’s important to be aware that they will breed and breed and breed if give the chance.

“That’s why you should make sure you know the sex of the bunnies before introducing them and you must also ensure they are neutered - otherwise you’ll end up with a lot of rabbits, very quickly!”

To find out more about how to care for your rabbit and how to adopt a rabbit from the RSPCA, visit the website. If you’d like to adopt one of RSPCA Bedfordshire south branch’s rabbits please visit their website at https://www.rspca.org.uk/local/bedfordshire-south-branch and fill in the form.

To help the RSPCA rescue more animals like this bunny family, you can donate by visiting www.rspca.org.uk/give