STOMPer Teeny Teh wants to point out that while dressing up a pet rabbit may seem cute and harmless, it may in fact be quite stressful for the animal. The STOMPer is refering to a picture of Joe, a rabbit that appeared in the Sunday Times on Nov 29.

In the STOMPer's email:

"I refer to the picture of Joe, a rabbit that appeared in the “What A Pet” section of Sunday Times (29 Nov 09).

"Putting clothes on a rabbit is unnatural. We humans may think that it is cute and fun to dress our pets up in clothes, but it is most certainly a form of animal abuse – especially so for rabbits.

"Rabbits are the prey animal and are ultra-sensitive to things wrapping around their bodies. This is because they liken the gripping sensation to being caught by a predator.

"When this happens, the rabbit feels threatened and its heart rate quickens. It tries to get itself out of the situation by struggling or dashing about to escape from its 'predator' and risking serious injury.

"There have been numerous cases of broken backs, necks, legs in rabbits from people trying to put clothes on them.

"We as pet owners should treat our pets with respect and love and do what is best for them – not us."

STOMP did some checks on the internet and found that it really depends on the temperament of the rabbit, or any other pet. If the pet does not like to be handled or played with, trying to dress it up will stress the animal. A struggling rabbit may lead to serious injuries to itself.

Clothes for animals must also fit properly, and must not be too tight or too loose.

In addition, pet rabbits should be supervised while wearing clothes and they should not be dressed for long periods of time, as the clothes prevent them from grooming themselves naturally.