A pet retailer will be stopping selling rabbits over the Easter period.

Nationwide pet retailer Jollyes has announced a six-day ban on rabbit sales starting on March 28, to deter customers from making impulsive purchases.

This initiative, dubbed the "bunny ban", has been implemented across all 101 Jollyes stores in the UK for many years.

The restriction arises from concerns that bunnies bought impulsively during Easter may be neglected or abandoned afterwards.

Phil Turner-Naylor from Jollyes said: "Pets bring enormous joy and companionship to people throughout their lifetime, and they deserve to be looked after well.

"Rabbits can live up to 15 years and we recognise that is a serious commitment by pet owners.

"Jollyes is ‘the Pet People’ because we’re passionate about animals.

"We want to ensure that families are buying pets at the right time for the right reasons and believe that lifelong responsibility should be considered, researched, and prepared for."

Despite the ban, Jollyes will continue to offer pet-friendly Easter treats and toys.

They will also remind customers to avoid feeding their dogs regular chocolate, which contains theobromine, a substance toxic to dogs.

Dog-friendly Easter eggs are available from just £2.

For more details, visit their website.