A VICAR who fosters rabbits for a national pet charity has urged people to consider providing temporary homes for animals.

The Revd Liz Houghton, a Vicar in the Newport Ministry Area, has been fostering rabbits and guinea pigs for the Blue Cross for nearly two years. As the charity works to find permanent homes for the small animals, she offers them a temporary one.

“God asked us to be good stewards of his good creation, and this is all part of stewardship, of caretaking for all that he has created, and is showing love to that creation and helping to create a better pathway for their lives as they move forward.”

Currently, Ms Houghton is caring for two three-year-old rabbits, Bun-yoncé (after the American singer Beyoncé) and Hopra-Winfrey (after the American television host and author Oprah Winfrey). They are the 11th and 12th rabbits that she has helped, in addition to eight guinea pigs.

Ms Houghton, who has “always loved animals”, was brought up on a farm. She first had pet rabbits about 20 years ago. “Rabbits are simple to look after: you just need to know how to do it,” she said.

“Blue Cross do all the training, and they give you full support, and you don’t need to worry about vet bills or anything like that, because that is all covered by them when fostering.”

The longest time Ms Houghton has fostered a rabbit is for five months, and the shortest, one and a half months.

Her daughter Erin, who helps to take care of the animals, is “very good at separating her emotions from them. I decided I’m all in; so I can’t separate that. I can do that in my professional job as a vicar, but I don’t with the animals. So, once I do form a bond with them, although I’m happy that they’ve found their forever home, I do have those moments of sadness. . . I remind myself that, actually, that’s the whole point, and it’s OK to have loved and let go. And letting go is part of love.”

The centre manager at the Blue Cross rehoming, behaviour, and advice unit in Newport, Georgie Riley, said: “We’re seeing a real hidden pet-welfare crisis, with more people struggling behind closed doors with increased costs.”

The Newport unit reported a “25-per-cent increase in rabbits coming into the charity’s care last year, and a 40-per-cent increase in requests to rehome rabbits during the same period”.

“This Easter, we’re asking people to consider signing up to foster for Blue Cross,” Ms Riley said. “If you’ve got love in your heart, and room in the house, consider it.”