The BBC has released a public response to the complaints made towards Stacey Solomon’s series Sort Your Life Out – after greater than 1,500 people reached out to share their worries over animal cruelty on the show.
Last month, the series – which airs on BBC One – was the goal of a wave of backlash after Stacey proposed moving a family’s pet rabbits into an out of doors hutch.
The host suggested moving the rabbits from the big conservatory to the garden to make extra space in the home as she attempted to ‘declutter’.
But viewers were angered by the move and argued that hutches weren’t acceptable homes for rabbits, complaining to the BBC.
Now having issued a choice, the broadcaster assured that while that they had reviewed the complaints, that they had deemed Stacey’s suggestion a ‘secure and secure space’ for the animal.
Investigated: The BBC has revealed their decision after reviewing the 1,500 viewer complaints over ‘animal cruelty’ on Stacey Solomon’s Sort Your Life Out
Uh oh: Last month, the series – which airs on BBC One – was the goal of a wave of backlash after Stacey proposed moving a family’s pet rabbits into an out of doors hutch
Outrage: Viewers were angered by the move and argued that hutches weren’t acceptable homes for rabbits, complaining to the BBC
Responding to complaints, the BBC’s response read: ‘The family’s pet rabbits often live outside and were only living indoors for a brief time frame after being neutered. They’re subsequently acclimatised to living within the garden.
‘The rabbits have full access to a large, enclosed garden to roam around in, with the hutch being a spot to return and go as they please throughout the day, in addition to a secure and secure space for them to sleep in at night.’
The investigation got here after many fans took to Twitter to share their disapproval over her decision on the show.
One said: ‘Love love @StaceySolomon but so disenchanted that Sort Your Life Out has shown rabbits being moved from a pleasant spacious indoor run to a cramped outdoor hutch, hutches are absolutely not enough’.
One other wrote: ‘Very disenchanted with the choice on rehousing the family pet rabbits on #SortYourLifeOut. @StaceySolomon – it’s essential research the suffering endured by hundreds of pet rabbits in small hutches.’
A 3rd raged: ‘I hope @StaceySolomon is by now educated in proper rabbit care and horrified that she’s condemned those rabbits to a life in a hutch.
‘Their need for space as athletic animals is much more vital than “decluttering” a human living area. We hope she’s taking steps to treatment it’.
While a fourth echoed: ‘Sort your life out with @StaceySolomon so disappointing as a rabbit owner. Do your research! They went from a reasonably decent home to a hutch thats inadequate in size.
‘It’s stuff like this that set the rabbit community back as we try to show others that #ahutchisnotenough’.
A fifth agreed, writing: ‘@BBC please investigate the welfare of rabbits. #SortYourLifeOut only displays a lack of expertise and pure cruelty putting those rabbits in a tiny hutch.’
And a sixth tweeted: ‘Absolutely appalling from @StaceySolomon and @bbcthree. Latest episode of Sort your life out is disgraceful. Those poor rabbits. A hutch is rarely enough.
‘Next time follow @RabbitRWAF guidelines for appropriate size for rabbit accommodation. This falls so short. It’s animal abuse!’
The Rabbit Welfare Association and Trust shared the story and encouraged viewers to complain.
Nevertheless additionally they added: ‘Before we comment any more, we intend to make it clear that we predict that that is the Production company’s responsibility, not the presenter, and we can’t allow any comments against Stacey Solomon.
Move: Stacey suggested moving the rabbits from the big conservatory to the garden to make extra space in the home
Indignant: But when the episode aired earlier this month, viewers were angered by the move and argued that hutches weren’t acceptable homes for rabbits
Complaints: They took to social media to complain and to ask the BBC and Stacey to do further research into rabbit care
‘The Production company must have done their research.’
The BBC responded to fan complaints by explaining that the rabbits often lived outside and ‘acclimatised’ to the garden.
They added: ‘The rabbits have full access to a large, enclosed garden to roam around in, with the hutch being a spot to return and go as they please throughout the day, in addition to a secure and secure space for them to sleep in at night.’
The series – which follows Stacey and her team help families declutter their homes – was hit by 1,502 complaints to the BBC.
Defence: The Rabbit Welfare Association and Trust shared the story and encouraged viewers to complain to Ofcom, while defending Stacey
