Supreme Petfoods Crowns Britain’s Cutest Bunny
A four month old lop from Birmingham has been selected as Britain’s Cutest Bunny and will appear on the packaging of Supreme Petfoods’ Science Selective rabbit food. Binky beat over 800 bunnies to win the title along with a year’s supply of Science Selective and Supreme Meadow Hay, as well as a digital SLR camera, after Supreme launched a Facebook promotion to find the new face of Selective. His owner, 21-year-old Triinu Uprus, reports that Binky is currently revelling in his new-found model fame.
Britain’s Cutest Bunny attracted an incredible 812 entrants, with over 10,000 people interacting with a special Facebook application produced by Supreme. “I was totally speechless when Binky won”, says Triinu, who was born in Tallinn, Estonia, and moved to the UK a year ago. “I entered the competition to win the food and hay as I want the very best for Binky. To have his picture on the packaging and to win a digital camera is amazing, but it’s just a bonus – it’s the food that will make a difference to Binky’s life as he deserves the best.”
The competition was launched on Supreme’s Facebook page at the start of September, with rabbit owners from around the UK invited to submit a photograph of their bunny together with a brief reason why they thought he/she should win. Facebook users then voted on their favourites, with the ten bunnies with the most votes at the closing date put forward to a judging panel consisting of members from Supreme, the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund and Anna Meredith, a specialist rabbit vet. The winner was chosen based on their picture and their owners’ answers to a number of key questions about rabbit welfare and care.
“We’ve been absolutely astounded by the response”, says Supreme’s Marketing Manager Claire Hamblion. “We expected to receive a couple of hundred entrants, so to get over 800 is just incredible and goes to show the real passion and pride that rabbit owners have for their animals. And the true benefit is that we now have a Facebook community of approaching 2000 people who are keen to help us spread rabbit welfare messages and ensure bunnies throughout the UK are cared for correctly.”
According to his owner, Binky is a real character. “He’s extremely friendly but he’s also a little troublemaker and is very energetic”, she says. “He got his name because he runs around my flat like a mad thing, jumping into the air and showing off. He’s very mischievous and an extremely cheeky chap. But he’s also really affectionate and will quite happily cuddle up with me, lick my nose and fall asleep on my bed. And he’s compassionate too – he seems to understand when I’m feeling sad. He’s just my best friend ever.”
“The judges were impressed by Triinu’s obvious knowledge of rabbit care and welfare”, says Hamblion. “Not only is Binky very cute, but he’s also very lucky to have such a caring owner.” “I had a rabbit growing up and have loved them ever since”, explains Triinu. “They have such wonderful personalities and the more contact you give them, the more of that you see. When I moved to England a year ago I wanted a pet and felt that I really wanted the companionship and unconditional love that a bunny gives as I’ve always felt a connection with rabbits. Now I own Britain’s Cutest Bunny, and I can’t wait to see Binky on the Science Selective packaging.”
