Protest planned as 62,000 sign petition against Stafford rabbit farm

Campaigners are against plans for the commercial rabbit farm, which would be built on agricultural land in Radmore Lane, Gnosall.

Protesters say it would be unethical and involve keeping rabbits in tiny cages.

Now, a protest is due to take place at the Stafford Borough Council offices on September 14.

It has been organised by the Facebook group Stop Gnosall's Rabbit Farm.

Members say the date may alter due to the council moving the planning consultation.

Jessica, who asked to keep her surname private, organised the protest.

She said: "We're going to stand outside the Stafford Borough Council building with signs and make people aware.

"We're doing this, basically, because its just cruel. It's the cruelty that these rabbits are going to be battery farmed.

"We're all vegans and so don't agree with it anyway but you don't have to be vegan to understand this.

We want it to be thrown out but also to send a message that we don't want battery farming in the UK."

Fran Healy, lead singer of the rock group Travis, who is originally from Stafford, is among the people to have added his name to the petition.

The planning application, which has been submitted to the borough council for consideration, is to build an 'intensive rabbit farm'.

Romanian food wholesaler POE, which has lodged the application, said the plan is in the early stages and it would consider the welfare of animals.

Speaking after the application was lodged, Alina Muntean, of POE Ltd, said: "First of all we haven't done anything yet. It's just planning permission for which we have applied for. So nothing has been built yet.

"I received an email from the animal rights group with this concern regarding animal welfare but as of yet we haven't considered what the animals will be doing, whether they'll be free and jumping around or anything.

"I have nothing to say in this phase because nothing is there yet."