How To Register A Rabbit With The ARBA And If It’s Worth The Effort

Ok, so you are wanting to know how to register a rabbit. Let me explain a few things first.

Registering a rabbit with the ARBA doesn’t work like getting papers for a dog that is registered through the AKC. The dog’s parents have to be registered in order for you to get a dog’s pedigree as well as other technical stuff. It’s not that way with a rabbit.

What Registering A Rabbit Means 

In short getting registration papers for a rabbit means that the ARBA has given its stamp of approval on your rabbit saying it is free of any disqualification that it could pass on to its offspring or keep it from showing. 

A rabbit being registered does not mean that it has great show stoping body type or that it will win a show. 

While it doesn’t hurt to have the registration paper. It doesn’t significantly affect the price you will be able to get for the rabbit. A good rabbit breeder should be concerned with body type and condition over anything else. 

Don’t confuse “papers” with registrion papers…

One thing I see a lot when scrolling Craigslist (Come on what self-respecting animal lover doesn’t do that) is the words “has papers” most often I know what means a pedigree. While yes it could mean registration papers if someone has had a rabbit registered they wouldn’t make a rookie mistake like calling them “papers” since a pedigree and a registration certificate are not the same thing.

I did a post that explains the difference between pedigrees and registration so make sure to check that out first if you are unsure.

What You Need For Your Rabbit To Be Registered

• You need to be a current member of the ARBA
• Your rabbit needs to have its ID number tattooed in ITS left ear.
• Your rabbit needs to at least weigh the minimum standard Sr weight for the breed.
• Your rabbit needs to be one of the 50 recognized rabbit breeds by the ARBA.
• You need to show the rabbit pedigree for your animal with:
  • 3 Generations – Your Rabbits Info, its parents, its grandparents, and its great grandparents need to be shown on the pedigree.
  • Each animal on the pedigree needs to have the following listed:
    • Name
    • Color
    • Ear Number
    •  Weight

How To Register A Rabbit With The ARBA

You have to take your rabbits to an official ARBA licensed registrar. Most often you will find a rabbit register at a rabbit show. You don’t have to meet one at a show but that would be the simplest way to reach one. You can find an official rabbit register here if you would like to meet one in person but not at a show.

An official register will examine the rabbit to make sure there are no disqualifications, genetic, or otherwise. As well as making sure the rabbit meets the minimum breed standard weight. The rabbit registrar will evaluate your rabbit based on the ARBA Standard Of Perfection.

Your rabbit doesn’t have to be amazing but it does need to satisfy the rabbit registrar that your animal is purebred and of decent quality. Since they do not do blood tests the evaluation is the only way to say if the rabbit is purebred. 

Then if the rabbit passes the examination. The register will look over the pedigree and copy that information as well as tattoo an R with a circle around it in the rabbit’s RIGHT ear.

There is a  registration fee of $6 (as of 2021) to have the process done but you also have to be a current member of the ARBA to register your animals. If you let your membership lapse the animal does NOT lose the registration. (leah-lynch.com)

Why Would You Want To Register A Rabbit

There are a few reasons why it might be worth it but unless you plan to show your rabbits it’s not going to be of a huge benefit. 

If a rabbit is registered it does give a stamp of approval that this rabbit is free of disqualifications (something that would get the rabbit disqualified from a show.). Just keep in mind that just because it is a registered animal does not mean that it has good body type. It just means there is nothing drastically wrong with it. 

But if you show your rabbit and your rabbit has won the necessary legs (certificates only given if certain things are met in a show winning) to receive its Grand Champion Certificate then you must register the rabbit to receive that certificate. 

Most rabbit showers will wait until a rabbit has proven itself on the show table before going through the process of having the rabbit registered. 

It’s up to you if you want to have your rabbit registered but unless you intend to start showing your rabbits seriously there is not really any reason to.