A housing association in Southampton has taken a resident to court in an effort to prevent her from keeping a rabbit in the communal garden of her apartment complex. The case concerns 33-year-old Storm Tapp-Grant, who introduced a rabbit named Nibbles and established a vegetable patch in the shared garden outside her block of flats in Hampshire.

Ms. Tapp-Grant said she began gardening and caring for the rabbit two years ago to teach her daughters, Everest, six, and Arizona, two, about healthy food and nature. The rabbit was a gift to Everest from her grandfather around the same time the garden was set up. According to Ms. Tapp-Grant, the garden and hutch were funded and built by her family.

Last month, Aster housing association initiated legal action at Southampton County Court, seeking an injunction that would require Ms. Tapp-Grant to remove the rabbit, raised beds, and decking from the communal garden within 14 days. An Aster spokesperson stated the association had previously asked for the removal of these items and had attempted to reach a resolution informally over an extended period.

Ms. Tapp-Grant described the court hearing as an “ambush” and said the situation had left her feeling “powerless and scared.” She emphasized the importance of the garden to her children and the community, noting that the project had been undertaken at her family’s own expense.

In response, the housing association indicated they were willing to discuss alternatives with the family, including the possibility of keeping the rabbit indoors. The case highlights tensions between tenants’ use of communal spaces and housing management policies concerning shared property.