Willow Lane Cottage - Rabbit Boarding

Looking for somewhere safe to board your rabbits when you are unable to be at home with them? 

Willow Lane Cottage is a luxury rabbit boarding service which allows your little ones to stretch out, relax and enjoy their own holiday too.

Cottage Details

Located in Ashtead, Surrey UK, Willow Lane Cottage is a converted 7' x 5' shed spread across 3 floors with ramp access to each level providing your rabbits with over 40sq ft of space to explore. 

Other features include triple aspect views, an unlimited supply of fresh hay from our local farm at no extra cost and for those bunnies who like to hide away we have a little hidey-hole that can be quickly installed when required.

The floors are either painted or covered in lino which ensures cleaning between guests is effective. There is a wall ventilation module for extra air circulation and the top floor window is an open galvanised wire for additional fresh air.

The roof is lined with reflective insulation which in winter traps heat in and in summer reflects the heat from the sun helping to keep it cool inside.

In the colder winter months, there is a small heater located within the cottage which provides your rabbits with subtle warmth through one of the floors without being so warm that it affects their natural heat regulation. 

Levels of Hygiene

Between each guest staying we clean.... everything!

Cleanliness, hygiene, and your rabbit's safety is of paramount importance. which is why we have a 3 phase cleaning process.

Phase 1: We first clean and disinfect using Conficlean Complete 2, this is a combined cleaner and disinfectant spray which is used on all surfaces, floors, litter trays and bowls. Further details can be found here.

Phase 2: A Karcher Steam cleaner is then used on all the same items as listed above before a further disinfectant spray is used in phase 3.

Phase 3: Our secondary disinfectant spray is called Formula H. This is a high-gradedisinfectant whichhas been tested by the central veterinary laboratory M.A.FF. (DEFRA) and is used extensively by the veterinary profession. Further details can be found here.

Vaccinations

Please be aware that we are only able to accept bookings for rabbits that have had their annual vaccinations. We will ask to see evidence of this for insurance purposes and to ensure the safety of all rabbits that come to stay with us.

Nobivac must be administered a minimum of 3 weeks before your booking dates and Filavac a minimum of 7 days in advance to allow the immune system response to be effective.

As of August2017, we now require that all rabbits are vaccinated with Nobivac AND Filavac which protects against RVHD2. These vaccinations must be given at separate times with most vets recommending a minimum of a two-week gap between vaccines so please ensure you contact your vet well in advance of your stay. 

Access to Grass

Because it isn't possible to disinfect and sanitise a grassy area we don't allow any boarding bunnies to have access to our lawn.

With over 40sq ft of space in Willow Lane Cottage, we find that most bunnies are quite happy to explore the new accommodation for their short holiday without requiring additional run space.

We frequently give freshly cut grass clippings from areas where our own rabbits haven't been grazing, we cut with scissors and give small handfuls immediately to ensure the grass is fresh and eaten instantly.

Indoor & Outdoor Bunnies

Please note that this is outdoor accommodation, if you have an indoor house bunny we will discuss with you the suitability depending on the time of year and outdoor temperatures.

Spayed & Neutered

All rabbits that stay with us must be neutered/spayed, this is to ensure that we are able to thoroughly and effectively clean after each holiday for the safety of our next guest.

Home Comforts

We always suggest you bring some of your rabbits home comforts with you. We can only provide toys that can be disinfected between guests which can be quite limiting so please feel free to bring toys and anything else you think will help your little ones settle quickly - in fact, we encourage you to!

Our Experience & Care

Barks & Bunnies is a family business, they are a husband and wife who run the online shop and also offer the very beautiful Willow Lane Cottage for boarding.

Leigh and Amy have been rabbit owners for over 10 years having rescued all their bunnies from local charities and they have had both house and outdoor rabbits. Since the arrival of their daughter Erica their own bunnies Libby & Chuzzlewit have moved into their garden into their own bespoke, spacious hutch and run. 

Leigh and Amy say - "Your rabbits can expect the same level of care that we provide our own much-loved family bunnies, we will provide them with fresh hay from our local farm every day, as many nose-rubs as they want and warm conversations - we are sure they enjoy the chat even if they can't talk back!" 

Price & Availability

Rates 

Barks & Bunnies charge boarding per night of occupancy. We will supply your rabbits with unlimited amounts of freshly baled hay and fresh vegetables/herbs.

£10.00 single/bonded pair for 5 nights or less

£9.00 single/bonded pair for 6 nights or more

£8.00 single/bonded pair for 15 nights or more 

Please inquire about group rates.

Availability

Please contact us with your required dates and we will confirm if we have availability.

Drop off/collection times are on weekday evenings and daytime during weekends only.

Willow Lane Cottage Gallery

Please do take a look at our gallery here showing where your rabbits can enjoy their own holiday at Willow Lane Cottage.

Additional Information

Leigh and Amy have two family dogs, Albie & Kizzie who are both golden retrievers. They have free access to the garden and so if you think your rabbits may be bothered by the sound of an occasional bark or the sight of a dog we may not be the right place for your bunnies to stay. There would of course never be any direct contact allowed between your bunnies and the dogs at any time and there is the use of a privacy screen to provide your bunnies with a little space from the sight of dogs should they require it.

Most rabbits who haven't seen dogs before tend to settle very quickly, if the dogs are out it normally means there is activity in the garden and that some sort of food or treat might be on its way! 

We will also always do everything possible to ensure that any rabbits who come to stay with us don't have visual sight of our own bunnies Libby & Chuzzlewit.

If you have any questions please contact us.