Everyone knows pop up cafes/shops/restaurants/bars are very much en vogue right now, which is all well and good - except when animals are brought into it.

The recent crop of cat cafes in the capital have clearly inspired a company called 'Bunny Blossom Cafe' to launch a pop up 'Bunny Cafe' next week on the 5th June. Over 4500 people are interested in attending this event, where they are at free reign to pick up the bunnies, and even take them home if it takes their fancy (EDIT - Bunny Blossom say they have now removed the adoption element from the event, please see latest update for details).

This is a massive cause for concern. Rabbits are sociable creatures, yes, but they are fragile. They can literally die of fright or stress, and being picked up more often than not can cause them a huge amount of distress - especially when it's by a stranger.

Bunny Blossom are saying they have "rescued" these rabbits, with zero evidence or support from any relevant charities. They're also implying people will be able to turn up and go home with the rabbits if they fancy it. Deciding to own a rabbit is not something you should do on a whim. They can live up to fifteen years and are a tremendous amount of responsibility.

People have been posting concerns in the Facebook event, with Bunny Blossom providing an unsatisfactory, one-size-fits-all response that in no way deals with the issues at hand. 

As bunnies seem to be trendy at the moment, many people with good intentions will want to come to this cafe to play with these rabbits. However, they should know that this could be hugely damaging and stressful - and even fatal.

The Pop Up Bunny Cafe should not go ahead, and I urge Islington Council to look into this as a matter of urgency. We need to stop treating animals like playthings and accessories.