P@H Giant lop in need of a home!!! I'm picking him up tomorrow!!!

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

I have been aware that there has been a Giant lop eared rabbit at pets at home fo over six months. I saw him back in october when i was getting some rabbit supplies, I lovely thing white with black spots all over!

I felt sorry for him straight away as i always do when i see bunnies in pet shops. I was then made aware that he was still there in november as my friends had been in. They also made me aware that he was up for sale for £130.00 which i thought was quite allot but then thought that perhaps he was a pedigree or something.

At christmas i went in (the shop is well over 50miles away) and i was upset to find that he was still there. I also noticed that he had a severe cold and upset tummy, I queried as to what was happening with him and had quite a debate with one of the sales assisstants in the middle of the shop. There were just giving him baytril at the recommendation of their vet.

I then contacted the manager via a personal telephone call and voiced my concerns as to his care, as he was out on the shop floor for all to see and no one seemed to have any major concerns. I asked them if i could have him and nurse him back to health but they said it wasn't their policy to do so. I made them aware that his cold could take many weeks or months to get better but they said so be it and were quite prepared to wait that long.

I also mentioned that as he was priced so high that that maybe the reason for him not finding a home.

I was made aware that he is still there so i contacted p@h this morning to clarify this and to ask about his cold.

Apparently his cold was down to him being allergic to the saw dust, which i never knew was possible especially as he appeared to be so poorly. I then asked if he had been vaccinated and they said that he had not.

Basically i would love to give him a home and it's not the cost of a pet which i mind but when they have been there so long you'd think that their main concern would be to give the animal a loving home. I know that if i buy him i'll have to get him vaccinated and then spayed so i'll be looking to spending at least £250 by the time i've bought him as well, which is allot. Not to mention i'll have to bond him with my other two.

I feel that i should have him as i know that i'll do everything i can, but i only earn so much and i always have some money saved for any emergencies with my own bunns. Obi was poorly last week again and that cost my £110.

So here is the problem, I want to give this poor animal a home yet i feel that it is wrong to line the pockets of a pet shop and put me in a situation that means i'll be caught short if the worse should happen. I know how much pets cost so i don't to be silly and just get him anyway. Don't me wrong i would sooner go into debt before i allow an animal to suffer but i have responsibilities else where to think about first

I going to call again tomorrow and speak to the manager, if there is any way that i can reduce the price and discuss whether they are willing to get him vaccinated.

I feel so sorry for him i want to help, does anyone know if there's something i can do?

gem

[drpengie]

I hope you manage to get him. Although you're right about lining the pockets of breeders, he has been there so long it would be lovely to see him homed. We have a black and white one in out P@H and he / she is £79. Maybe you could suggest to them that he has been there so long and is costing them in food and baytril and whatever else he needs etc that it would be better for you to have him at a reduced cost. Also try suggest to them not to get any more large buns!!

I'm sure you've thought of this already, but surely it's worth a go. Normally they put these long term buns up for adoption I think!

[Denny]

The thing is, yes this bun has been there 6 months but the minute you buy him/her, they will then replace the space with another big bun and then what you going to do when that one has been there 6 months + and the next one?

By not purchasing should be showing the pet shop that they are not easy to sell and might stop stocking the larger breeds which is a good thing.

I dont mean to sound harsh but there are buns that have been in rescue for well over 2 years, I know Tracy has a pair that have been at hers for 3 years now:cry::cry:

We all feel for these buns in pet shops but realistically, how many can you help without the shop re-stocking due to public demand. By not buying means there is no demand which should lead to the shop ceasing the sales of that animal. Yes this is at the expense of those animals being sold but some-times this means it has to happen for shops to see that they are just not selling and so stop selling them;)

[jackiestone]

How Sad

I live in Bournemouth and they had two Giants in there since new year,i went most weeks and they were getting bigger and bigger and humping each other and it was really sad.Last week I went in and the cage was empty but it still had the dirty bedding in there,so i asked where the rabbits were and I was told they had gone to separate homes during the week.The cage had not been cleaned since.I was happy that they had found homes as i was concerned that they were not getting human contact etc.
I think as soon as you get this bunny they will replace it with another.I also think if you really want him then you should contact head office rather than speaking to the manager and offer them half the price for it as you can get him neutered and vaccinated then.If they will not go for this idea then i would report them to the RSPCA and maybe you can adopt it through them if they take it away,as i hope they would if he is poorly
Good luck and let us know how you get on

[kayjay]

My first thought is to agree with Denny, it's not the poor rabbit's fault but P@H would simply replace him with a cuter younger one who would then face a long wait for a home too. My second thought is that as the rabbit hasn't sold and hasn't done well in P@H maybe they would give up on the idea of selling 'giant house rabbits' as they don't sell. At the end of the day they are selling for a profit and he isn't generating profit right now, he's costing them in terms of food and care.. It's a tough call

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

i agree with you all, I don't want to promote the selling of bunnies in pet shops by buying one, but what do i do, I've kind of stayed away on purpose because i've had the very same thoughts, but when i know that he's still there i can't help but feel for him.

But then the bunnies i've got now, Roxy and Obi i had cos they needed a home. They live indoors but i've got a great big hutch and two smaller ones in my garage. We've kept them purposely as in a just in case. If we were to have him i'd keep him indoors anyway.

We never plan to get another but usually find that one needs a home so we take them on.

One of the reasons why i stayed away is cos i always hoped he would find a home being where he was but that obviously isn't the case. Apparently his cold is much better now but it's still allot of money when you consider how many bunnies i could save from a horrible live for £130.00.

I'm torn, I know that if i looked i'd find very many bunnies in need and that's why i prefer to stay away. It's like anything there's a place called stop and i've only got so much money in the bank.

I'll talk to the manager and see how far i get tomorrow. If i'm still not happy then i'll take it further!!!

[chloaster]

As horrible as I feel for the bunny for saying this I agree with Denny. Unless you can get the company to agree to you having the rabbit at a conciderably reduced price I would ask that you please don't buy him. There are big buns in rescue waiting for great homes and by putting out the message that large rabbits can be sold at pet shops then more are going to be bred.

[kiri]

Id say don't go for it, they'll re stock the next day. Its illegal for them to sell an animal thats ill-thats why their rejects go to their own 'adoption centre'. Don't pay for this rabbit, if its not getting the right care then rspca is the only way.

[rabshan]

I so know how you feel about seeing a Gaint bunny in P&H:cry:we have a new store which has only been open about 3 months and they have a british Giant who has been there since they opened:cry:
Each week when i go in he is still there:cry:it took all my willpower yesterday to walk away and leave him:evil:he is getting BIG now and past his "cute baby" stage so i doubt he will find a home:cry:
He is priced at £129 which i was pleased about as hopefully it will stop impulse buying:evil:but poor bun is looking bored (he is on his own)i have spoken with the staff and they have assured me that he will only go to a "knowledgeable" home:)not sure how they will manage that but at least they are taking care with homing him:)
I think if i were you i would offer a much lower price and point out that the bun has been sick and if he goes to you then you will be able to nurse him but if he goes to someone just wanting a bun then he may die and they will have to replace him at their cost:cry:
I agree with Denny that he will just be replaced by another:cry:i wish they would stop selling Giants:evil:

[monkeypuzzler]

Agree with the others who have said that if you take this bunny home, the store will just re-stock the pen and there will be another bunny in there within a week. I know you only want to do the right thing, but in the long run I don't think it would be the right choice as it only encourages the store.

[mystic.kitty]

Our local p@h also has a giant house rabbit, and its been there for about four months. I feel so sorry for him as he's a lovely rabbit, just so expensive. I would love to have him but can't as I have a cat which rules the indoors and she is so temperamental I just couldn't put her through another new pet.

They need to learn that they don't sell very well, the price will put most people off I should imagine, hopefully they will realise they don't sell and will stop stocking them.

[Siona]

There is one on my local P@H, and although she's pretty much full grown now cos she's been there so long the staff really look after her. I spoke to the rabbit lady today who still remembers Nigel (I bought him from there because I couldn't stand him being in the cage, sucker I know)
She was telling me about how they deal with her. They have called her Hazel, and let her have the run of the shop i the morning and after they close. She said that nobody wants her because they think she's cuddly but then when she gets frightened of them they change their minds. :(

SHe also said that she (Hazel) rips bags of food open and hides in the shelves, but that's nothing we haven't been through at home! :lol:

I put a man off of buying her today actually, the little girl was bugging him and he looked like he was going to give in, so I jumped in and told him about Nigels carpet and wire chewing, the vaccinations, the food bills etc. I also told him I thought it was totally worth it but he looked scared and told his daughter no.
I don't mind doing that if it means she will go to someone worthy later on.

I don't think they should sell them at all, but at least at my local one they have someone there who really cares. :)

[capel]

Good for you.:) I hope the poor thing finds a rabbity home soon.

[Doncat5]

A definate 'NO' from me I'm afraid, as much as you want to take him on, how many cute baby rabbits could P@H buy with your £130..... unless you can get him for a hugely reduced price, I'd leave him there. While he's taking up the space and funds for vet fees, he prevents more from replacing him.

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

I know exactly, your all rIght and i completely agree, one of the reasons i didn't post about it earlier was because i didn't want to think about it too much.

I'll call tomorrow and tlak to them and also voice my concerns as to whether they will fill his place, I'm not daft i'm sure they will do it! But there's no harm in giving someone an ear bashing about it!!

This whole problems exists because pet shops are allowed to do so unfortunately i just think it's unfair for the bunnies in question! I can just imagine myself doing a 'mission impossible' trying to save him. Don't get me wrong the last thing i want to do is break the law but this whole situation makes my blood boil and irritates me :censored: :evil: :censored:

I know whats right but what can i do, just wish i had a magic wand i suppose!!

Thanks you lot for your advice, it's keeping me sane!!!!!!!!!

[Wispa & Zola]

as soon as you buy him they will replace him with another bun. i was told that my store (barrow) was the bridge store, they have had 2 lops in for 6 months as well and they will never go down in price because as soon as one sells elsewhere then the buns from barrow will be moved to the store that no longer has any LARGE lops in stock.

[nursecroft]

Yep my local store has had a giant in for a long time now and there was one before this one in for a longtime before that, i feel so sorry for them, they are priced £129 too :evil:

[rabshan]

Siona:wave:I was in the Braintree branch last year and they had a female Giant in then:cry:i do hope it,s not the same one that you have seen:roll::cryI used to live in Braintree and went back to have a look at my old house (snooping mission) was surprised how much the town has changed since i was last there:shock:worse the Saddlers shop had gone:cry:i was always in there buying "horsey" things:)oh and Topshop:cry:we was thinking about moving back there again but when i got there i changed my mind:lol:

[Siona]

Siona:wave:I was in the Braintree branch last year and they had a female Giant in then:cry:i do hope it,s not the same one that you have seen:roll:

It might be. She's a straight eared grey giant with little gingery tinges around her neck. :cry:

[Raven Rexs]

Rabbits dont get colds im sure thats a fact?:?

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

Right then now i'm annoyed!!!!!!!!

I spoke to the manager at pets at home and discussed my concerns and basically he said that they would not reduce the cost despite the fact he will always be at risk of getting colds and respiratory problems. I asked why and his response was that he as no one else had voiced this concern that my opinion wasn't valid. And if anyone else had been interested and mentioned the same thing they may then possibliy consider it.

I mentioned that he has been there for quite a considerable time and surely it would be in their best interests to home him as soon as possible. i also brought up the fact that it was in their best interests not to sell these pets as they take a considerable length of time to home and it's not in the animals interest.

I mentioned the fact that he'd been there for so long that surely he should have been vaccinated by now anyway rather than wait for someone else to do it!!

I explaind to him that if i were to have then i would give him the best possible care, he would be vaccinated, spayed and kept in our home with free run of the house and that my intentions would be to bond him with another!

He then said that they recommended that he should be kept on their own, which is inaccurate. I said that this is completely not the case rabbits are social animals and need to be kept in an environment which cater for their every need. Basically when he said this i found myself getting increasingly more annoyed so i ended the conversation with him and said that i would take it further!!!

AHHHHHHHH I'm so annoyed,

What would be the best route for me to complain now.

[Wispa & Zola]

by contacting head office. however they can be just as bad as the store staff.

[BeckyLH]

I completely feel for you. My Lene came from a garden centre after she had been there for months and I couldb't bear it any longer. She was priced at £25 though and I got her for £15 so they were a little more accommodating.

If you can possibly get a reduction I would go for it, but £125 is so much for the store.

[chloaster]

Right then now i'm annoyed!!!!!!!!
I asked why and his response was that he as no one else had voiced this concern that my opinion wasn't valid. And if anyone else had been interested and mentioned the same thing they may then possibliy consider it.


:shock: Now that would make my blood boil too!!! :censored: I agree get in touch with head office and talk to them and put it in writing too. Tell them exactly what the manager said and tell them you have sent copies of the letter to the RSPCA and Animal Welfare Association, due to the rabbits poor health, and that you expect an answer in writing from them. Some people make me so flippin angry :censored:

[Siona]

Post the store phone number on here, then we can all take turns to ring in and 'complain' about the state of it's cage etc. :lol:
We can say that we saw it. That'll give him a headache!!

[cute_fuzzies]

I'm a bit confused - have you been in to see it since christmas? Or was that the last time you saw it? Because if was being treated then, surely it may be better now?

I agree with the others, don't buy him - to be honest, I wouldn't even buy him at a knock-down price. Once he's gone, another will replace him, no matter what price you paid.

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

I've written the letter lets see what happens eh?

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

Posted by cute_fuzzies[QUOTE][/I'm a bit confused - have you been in to see it since christmas? Or was that the last time you saw it? Because if was being treated then, surely it may be better now?

QUOTE]

Apparently he's better now but their words were that he will always be at greater risk of having colds etc and he's not 100% well. His chest /nose still gets irritated by the dust in hay and straw. So in other words he's still sneezing!!!!

[Siona]

Could he have snuffles (even mildly)?
If so he would be putting all their stock at risk :(

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

exactly, i've been down that road too, as far as their concerned they're following the advice that their vet has given, but then how rabbit savvy the vet is i don't know!! I could argue about this all day!!!!

[RusselRocky]

I like Siona's idea of us all phoning the store and complaining surely that would make your opinions valid??????

[XMissySJx]

There is one on my local P@H, and although she's pretty much full grown now cos she's been there so long the staff really look after her. I spoke to the rabbit lady today who still remembers Nigel (I bought him from there because I couldn't stand him being in the cage, sucker I know)
She was telling me about how they deal with her. They have called her Hazel, and let her have the run of the shop i the morning and after they close. She said that nobody wants her because they think she's cuddly but then when she gets frightened of them they change their minds. :(

SHe also said that she (Hazel) rips bags of food open and hides in the shelves, but that's nothing we haven't been through at home! :lol:

I put a man off of buying her today actually, the little girl was bugging him and he looked like he was going to give in, so I jumped in and told him about Nigels carpet and wire chewing, the vaccinations, the food bills etc. I also told him I thought it was totally worth it but he looked scared and told his daughter no.
I don't mind doing that if it means she will go to someone worthy later on.

I don't think they should sell them at all, but at least at my local one they have someone there who really cares. :)

out of all the PAH stores i think the braintree one is good. when i got my hammie they quizzed me so much i was shocked! they were genuninly interested about w here he was going!

[Fairy13]

I like Siona's idea of us all phoning the store and complaining surely that would make your opinions valid??????

yeah me too! then they couldnt say your opinion wasnt valid! :roll::evil:
I guess to contact head office is the next option.
Poor bun :(

[Denny]

To be honest, by reducing the price means that they could be thinking along the lines that if they reduced them all to a lower price that they would sell more which in my opinion is not the way to go. Whilst the price is high, the demand is low:) which may lead them to not stock them if they cannot sell them:)

If some-one is genuinely interested in paying £129.00 then fair enough but by complaining that the price is too high is just going to make them wonder if they will sell more by reducing the cost so you could see alot more large bunnies coming and going due to demand and the right price which ultimately may have a knock on effect with more of the larger buns then ending up in rescues 6 months or so after purchase :? :(

I have heard of wood shavings causing problems in rabbits that mimic's snuffles but for all we know, these large rabbits might be being inter bred, they may already have snuffles from contracting it from the mother or other siblings but once you have a snuffler, you got it for the life span of that rabbit, its just that most snuffle buns have bouts of it so this might just be the case with this bun if it is not the wood shavings causing the problem:) and controlling it with medication is all one can do when the bun is having a bout of it:) Occassionly, it is not neccessarily the pet shop that has caused the health issue but the breeder who is breeding them and what conditions they are breeding them in as well;)

Whether we adopt from a rescue or buy from a shop, we all take the risk and knowingly do so with the fact that our pet could be harbouring health problems that will emerge in the future but we cannot neccessarily blame it on the pet shop or the rescue when non of us have seen our pets being bred, how they were bred and whether there are any genetic issues that could arise in the future;)

When I enquired into a giant at a p@h near me (although it was a frenchie:lol:) they did say that neutering/spay was included in that price, not sure if that still stands now though but regards the vaccinations, all I can say is that, you cannot enforce them upon anybody to ensure they have them done, it is not a legal requirement in pet ownership unless travelling abroad or using boarding facilities so reasons for vaccinated will go over peoples head:(

Your heart is clearly in the right place and it is obvious that you are in turmoil over him/her. I dont want to sway you either way but how you going to feel when you see the next bun in there? How would you feel if say, you get this bun then the breeder has to breed another litter in order to fill this pen? or what if that bunny at the breeders is having a happy life in a hutch and run before havign to then go and spend the next 6 - 8 months stuck on a shop floor once there is a space for him/her? Or, what if next week you go in and find that they did reduce his purchase cost and discover that he was sold quickly due to that low price as a childs pet?

Sometimes, it takes just 1 that is sacrificed in order to help others before times start to change for the better, its a sad fact of life unfortunately:(

I really do not mean to make you feel guilty, like others, I am just trying to show you what the future holds for more large buns once this holding pen is emptied by a purchaser.

I know deep down you want folk to say 'go get him/her' but that decision has to be yours and yours alone, you dont need advice from others to know what you want or what is the right thing to do ;) That said though, I have visions of you having at least 4 large buns in the next 2 years:lol::lol::lol: all from the same shop too:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

denny and all,

i think all your points are valid, many i have thought of myself and i have mentioned in my letter to head office that i feel that there is not a market for these giant breeds. I value the point about their cost and i feel that you are correct but my concern is the fact he has been there so such a long time and ultimately health wise is not 100%. So basically that's why i think i shouldn't have to pay the whole £130.00.

Really i think that there should be a new system when you want any pet, first you should have an inspection and interview almost like what the RSPCA do before you have a rescued animal. And then you also pay a little for the pet but also have to get them neutered etc. I'm sure that way if people had to go through all that first then most wouldn't bother!

My dream is to have a rabbit sanctuary, where i have enough of everything so i can give unwanted bunns a home.

But like i said there's a place called stop and only so much money in the bank!
So if it's meant to be i'm sure it'll happen, but it won't happen with me handing over a very large some of money to a company which is making so many bunnies in a position where their unwanted, inter bred and left in pets shops for months on end. I'd sooner home five bunnies for that price.

I'll let all know what happens next anyway,

I don't putting up a fight to save a bunn from inprisonment!!! But i know i cant win them all!!!!!!

[Pringle]

Their is one at my local pets at home to that has been there for months :cry: its getting REALLY big and i feel so sorry for it!!!:cry: i wish they would just stop selling them its pretty obvious they arent getting sold
!!!!!

[Denny]

My dream is to have a rabbit sanctuary, where i have enough of everything so i can give unwanted bunns a home.


Now this interests me;):D

It is one thing to ponder over regrets and 'wish I had's', later in our lives but it is even sadder when one of those regrets is that we should of started our life sooner and turned our dreams into reality. Dreams and life long ambitions have to start somewhere, whether that be on a small scale or you win the lottery and jump in at the deep end and go the whole hog. What I am trying to say, start your dream Gem, even if that means only helping one or two that finances and accomodation allow.

What is meant to be will be in this world, if this bun is meant to be with you then I am sure one way or another, he/she will find a way to you at your sanctuary. There are plenty of buns out there in need of a safe haven and more worryingly is that I feel the larger buns are becoming increasingly the latest fad in the rabbit world which, might be hard for some rescues to accomodate large amounts of giants due to space issues.

Some may say that one should not walk before they can crawl but then it is better to start off crawling at the slow pace than thinking that you can run before you can walk, not sure if that made any sense but it sounds good even if I haven't explained myself properly:lol::lol::lol: Think I am going to have to give the take that CD a break:lol::lol:

Get your bunny butt together and follow your dream;) giant flowers can be achieved from a tiny seed but it has to be planted before it has a chance to grow;):D:D

I am off for a bacardi and film night before I get carried away with cryptic messages of life :oops::lol::lol::wave:

good luck with your decision:)

[bunnylops]

I was in my local pets at home store today getting my supply for my bunnies, I hate seeing the bunnies they have in there. Today they had 2 giant lops and they looked so sad and bored stuck in 1 cage together. Evertime I go in to P@H I always look at the rabbits and I feel so sad for them. I bought my 1st rabbit from them 3 years ago whom they told me was a female WRONG was male, I learned so much from breeders on the net than I did from staff at p@h. I have since bought my pets from local breeders. I'd love to have a giant rabbit but they so expensive from the likes of P@h.

[BeckyLH]

I was in my local pets at home store today getting my supply for my bunnies, I hate seeing the bunnies they have in there. Today they had 2 giant lops and they looked so sad and bored stuck in 1 cage together. Evertime I go in to P@H I always look at the rabbits and I feel so sad for them. I bought my 1st rabbit from them 3 years ago whom they told me was a female WRONG was male, I learned so much from breeders on the net than I did from staff at p@h. I have since bought my pets from local breeders. I'd love to have a giant rabbit but they so expensive from the likes of P@h.

Then why not go to a rescue? :)

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

I called P@H today, basically my complaint has been logged and they are dealing with it!!

The lady i spoke to also said that normally when a rabbit has been in a shop for many months they usually tend to adopt them, however this doesn't normally happen with giant lops as they are so large they do not always have enough space for them there.

I asked if it would be possible to adopt him myself as there would be no issue then regarding space, i have plenty!!! She did say that this may be possible but asked if i could call again on friday to speak to someone who is dealing with this issue directly it might be possible!!

Watch this space, i may be able to rescue this bun after all!

It'll be lovely if i can!!!

[jane28]

OOoh i hope it works out...
My local P@H in Stafford is ok but i really dont think they know much about rabbits at all. I went in to look at a rabbit hutch a few months back and they have a little part where the put rabbits who cannot be sold because of their looks... People can then pay a small amount and buy them. In this instance a little white male had been put in there because of a fight with another bunny he had got part of his ear ripped.
He ended up with a couple and their 3 year old daughter and i just though "oh no"...
Also on the same day i informed a member of staff that the water bottles in the guinea pig bit were too high that they couldnt reach them to drink!
I really do think myself that pets should not be able to be sold as easy as a bag of dog food...

[BeckyLH]

Good luck, I hope you get the poor bun! As for what she said about giants being adopted, I went to the Huddersfield branch today and there was a huge female lop in a tiny adoption cage, an older couple were looking at her as their daughter had just lost one of her giants and was after another. The man came out and said she wasn't a giant but was overweight, but this bunny was HUGE! Poor thing, her water bottle had fallen off the wall too. So sad.

[Hugbut]

Sorry if i'm not being sensible, but i say go with your heart.I couldn't walk away from a bun so desperate for a bit of love.The debate over pet shops & breeders is bound to be a heated one, but sometimes you just have to do what's best for that bun.Hope everything works out :wave:

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

I thought hugely about this, i'm not doing it because i just want him, I've never done that. Every bun i have had been unwanted previously, except for gizmo, but then she was the runt of the litter and i needed a friend for Nibbs.

I've tried to stay away but i can't, I think that maybe someone else will give him a home etc but that someone hasn't shown. If i have to pay full price then i simple won't, i refuse to line a pet shop's pocket. I know how much bunnies cost so i'm not doing it because i too cheap to do so, i'd rather spend that amount on neutering and giving the best to my bunns. Any bun even.

so i'll try and do what i can and hopefully i can give him a life, rather than just an existance!!!

[*lily*]

I'd get him as well ;)

There aren't any giants in our local P@H but I went to one yesterday a bit further afield, and they had one in there. Highly unlikely it will get sold and then what happens to them?

[parsnipbun]

I have heard that some of the Pets at Home are stopping stocking the giants because they just don't sell and are uneconomic - if you can get this one cheaper than the full price then you are re-inforcing this message to them. I know the PAH Cambridge say they no longer sell them because of this - and had to move them to another branch (where they still didn't sell).

I would say try and get him cheaper - and make the point about how long he's been there.

But as some others have said - sometimes its just meant to be for you and the bun.

[fizz-bunny]

Porr bunny, We have giant rabbits in our stores too, they are always there for ages, and I just feel bad for them, I hope that they go to good homes!!

[rspcarabbits]

I'm going to be brutal I'm affraid.

Pet shops who sell rabbits create a problem.

If you buy a rabbit from a pet shop you encourage that pet shop in that trade and the suffering it entails.

If a pet shop starts to re-home "rescue" rabbits whilst it still sells/breeds or aquires rabbits from breeders it is simply deflecting critsism from the fact. that it is creating the problem in the first place regardless of any improved welfare standards they claim.

Finally I am getting a tad fed up with hearing all the sob stories of rabbits being left in pet shops. If all the rescue's on here highlighted every sad case they had these pages would be awash with genuine eye watering cruelty and neglect.What you see in pet shops is frequently "manufactured"to get that symathy sale and its highlighting on here encourages it .Maybe if some people on here who trawl pet shops and report what they see did the same with bunnies in rescues the message about pet shops and for that matter lots of breeders would finally get home.

I highlighted one real case in hot topics and got a great response over one healthy white female rabbit. Maybe thats what people on here want ....because if it is any general debate will get lost in a sea of sympathy and panic.

Up till now we have always confined ourselves with advertising on rabbit re-home in the correct way. It seems this may not be as effective as highlighting the plight of individual bunnies in these columns with sob stories.

[BeckyLH]

You're right, why don't you post in the RIN section, you might have a better chance of rehoming them that way :)

[Mandy]

Someone on here once said something that is a really good way of looking at this kind of situation.

If you adopt a rabbit from a rescue centre you help two rabbits- the one you have adopted and the one lucky enough to take it's place and be in a safe caring place.

If you buy a rabbit from a pet shop you've done nothing - as the pet shop will just replace the one you 'saved' with another so it cancels itself out- and perhaps the rabbit replacing the one you brought won't be so lucky and will end up in a bad home, and so the cycle continues. In this case it will possibly be more than one, as if they don't get more giants in they'll be able to fill the giants bigger cage with many smaller breeds.

[rspcarabbits]

You're right, why don't you post in the RIN section, you might have a better chance of rehoming them that way :)

Many thanks for that.:)

You are right the RIN section is the correct place ,and we have had good results in the past through rabbit re-home..... I was talking about using any column that I can somehow fit them in with a sob story.

That is where all the pet shop sob stories seem to be along with all the responses.

[Teepee]

I'm going to be brutal I'm affraid.

Pet shops who sell rabbits create a problem.

If you buy a rabbit from a pet shop you encourage that pet shop in that trade and the suffering it entails.

If a pet shop starts to re-home "rescue" rabbits whilst it still sells/breeds or aquires rabbits from breeders it is simply deflecting critsism from the fact. that it is creating the problem in the first place regardless of any improved welfare standards they claim.

Finally I am getting a tad fed up with hearing all the sob stories of rabbits being left in pet shops. If all the rescue's on here highlighted every sad case they had these pages would be awash with genuine eye watering cruelty and neglect.What you see in pet shops is frequently "manufactured"to get that symathy sale and its highlighting on here encourages it .Maybe if some people on here who trawl pet shops and report what they see did the same with bunnies in rescues the message about pet shops and for that matter lots of breeders would finally get home.

I highlighted one real case in hot topics and got a great response over one healthy white female rabbit. Maybe thats what people on here want ....because if it is any general debate will get lost in a sea of sympathy and panic.

Up till now we have always confined ourselves with advertising on rabbit re-home in the correct way. It seems this may not be as effective as highlighting the plight of individual bunnies in these columns with sob stories.

You are right! And I am VERY sure that it must be most frustrating to read posts like this when you have a load of "sob stories" in your care all as deserving as this giant bun in question.

*However* (and I say this purely out of understanding for the original poster rather than any kind of statement in favour of rabbits being sold through pet shops) EVERY bun deserves a kind, loving and forever home and sometimes, when a heart is lost to a bun not likely to get as much (regardless where they are placed) I *understand* why somebody would act to give that bun a better life. I understand but wish the rabbit was never in the store to begin with to capture the heart of the person wanting to make that individual life better.

I personally AVOID viewing rabbits in pet stores if I possibly can. I do this because I know that I will wonder whatever happened to them long-term. Prior to keeping buns I kept hamsters for many years and all came from rescues (I travelled over 100 miles (there and back) for little Milo as I lost my heart to him) - the problem with this situation is that you can't control your heart. There were LOTS of hamsters I could have homed - I fell in love with Milo. The OP is aware that a pet store isn't a good way to go - but the heart has been lost already...

The trick is NOT TO LOOK people - not even a peep if you can possibly help it! If you have room for a bun look at rescues before you lose your heart to a rabbit in a store...once the heart is lost it's just that.

TP;)

[Denny]

The trick is NOT TO LOOK people - not even a peep if you can possibly help it! If you have room for a bun look at rescues before you lose your heart to a rabbit in a store...once the heart is lost it's just that.

TP;)

sooo very very true which is why I very rarely go into a pet shop that sells animals:)

[minimack]

Although in principle i agree that pet shops are not necessarily the best place to buy an animal from i would rather people went to a rescue or a quality breeder. I am not sure the pet shop can be responsible for people that do not look after their pets. Adults buy these animals it surely is their responsibility to look after their pets in te correct manner unless something happens that makes them incapaple of looking after them properly. Just because some :censored::censored::censored: decides they cant be bothered to look after whatever animal THEY have bought, is that really the fault of the pet shop/breeder. After all when a rescue rehomes a pet you actually do not know what happens to this animal in the long term

[Teepee]

Although in principle i agree that pet shops are not necessarily the best place to buy an animal from i would rather people went to a rescue or a quality breeder. I am not sure the pet shop can be responsible for people that do not look after their pets. Adults buy these animals it surely is their responsibility to look after their pets in te correct manner unless something happens that makes them incapaple of looking after them properly. Just because some :censored::censored::censored: decides they cant be bothered to look after whatever animal THEY have bought, is that really the fault of the pet shop/breeder. After all when a rescue rehomes a pet you actually do not know what happens to this animal in the long term

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the actions of a grown adult is the fault of a store - but rather that stores DON'T HELP the situation. Stores for example don't do home-checks to my understanding, they don't neuter/spay or vaccinate either...They don't help as they OFFER OPPORTUNITY for less worthy owners to become just that. An adult is responsible for her/his actions and should be held accountable for them - but a store selling rabbits (and indeed other small animals) does nothing to ensure such animals are placed with responsible people and heck (!!) many adults are (sadly!) NOT responsible...Stores can't MAKE an idiot become a sensible being - but do not help in failing to make sure into what category the buyer falls before selling.

TP;)

ETA: You are correct in your thinking that even rescues have no idea of what happens to an animal "long term" BUT...They do everything in their power to make sure the owners are likely to be good ones. My buns came from an unwanted litter of somebody known to me, my hamsters were from a rescue. The rescue came to my home, they viewed the enclosure and area in which my hamsters were to be kept, they asked me questions (lots!) about my understanding of hamsters and they ALSO asked me (didn't force me granted - but asked none the less!) to keep in touch regarding how my hamsters were getting on...I doubt VERY much that any store would take the time or bother.

[rspcarabbits]

Although in principle i agree that pet shops are not necessarily the best place to buy an animal from i would rather people went to a rescue or a quality breeder. I am not sure the pet shop can be responsible for people that do not look after their pets. Adults buy these animals it surely is their responsibility to look after their pets in te correct manner unless something happens that makes them incapaple of looking after them properly. Just because some :censored::censored::censored: decides they cant be bothered to look after whatever animal THEY have bought, is that really the fault of the pet shop/breeder. After all when a rescue rehomes a pet you actually do not know what happens to this animal in the long term

No animal rescue can claim to always get it right. However those who have been out to us and other rescues like us will know we take great care in making sure the adoption is likely to be a great success.

We vet who we re-home to , we check their accommodation and we make it very clear that the rabbits in our case remain the property of the rspca and they have lifetime adoption of them. To that end me make it verbally very clear if they cannot look after the rabbits for whatever reason they have to be returned to us and are not allowed to be sold or passed directly to another owner. New owners also sign an animal adoption form with all this on with any special conditions relavant to each case.In one case a pair of rabbits have retuned to us after 5 years because the owner was emigrating and we took them back with a smile on our face and pleased to see them..... they are a lovely pair , both grey ....parsnip and flora, both neutered and vaccinated ....flora has just recovered from skin myxamatosis and through no fault of their own find themselves back with us.......I just can't bear to see them unloved and still here......stop it !!!(You hopefully get my other point by now):lol::lol::lol:

No we cannot be absolutely sure what happens to every rabbit but we have taken every possible precaution and we do keep in contact with a large proportion of our bunnies and we are aware mostly even when they pass away ect.

I can say hand on heart I am not aware in the last 10ys of any rabbit obtained from us that has subsequently ended up in any other rescue,and we are talking 100's or rabbits here. But then it must be said we weed out the idiots pretty effectively right from the start and refuse for whatever reason to re-home where necessary.Where we very occaisionally get it slightly wrong we also are here to pick the peices up no matter what or when.

When you say pet shops /breeders cannot cannot be held to blame for idiots ect......well yes they can because they are the ones that sold the rabbits with little or no care to idiots in the first place and they are the ones who generally have no long term re-turn policy in place.If they did and they were held responsible for the outcome, they would not sell them in the first place.

In my oppinion on this score you are ill informed.

[minimack]

I fully agree with everything you are saying there which is why i said i would rather someone went to a rescue or a responsible breeder. When my rabbits go to their new homes i do ask questions in a nice way lol about where they will be kept and what people know about buns etc. and explain to the parents that if and when the child becomes bored of their pet it will become their responsibility to provide companionship and stimulation for that bun. I also tell their children in front of them that to keep their bunny happy they must take it out and let it run round and play with it and if the wheather is bad it will still need cuddles etc. I also explain to the owners that rabbits are companion pets and if a dog/cat was cooped up for weeks at a time would they still expect it to be tame and friendly? I phone usually after a week or so and make sure all is ok. I also tell people to phone me anytime for advice etc, i will clip nails for peoples buns and have in the past taken them back if people decide that they cannot look after the animal. (which incidentley will not be bred from). I like them to go as a pair of littermates but not everyone wants more than one.

[minimack]

When you say pet shops /breeders cannot cannot be held to blame for idiots ect......well yes they can because they are the ones that sold the rabbits with little or no care to idiots in the first place and they are the ones who generally have no long term re-turn policy in place.If they did and they were held responsible for the outcome, they would not sell them in the first place.

In my oppinion on this score you are ill informed.[/QUOTE]

I have to say although in part i agree with you and maybe did not put across well enough what i was trying to say. As a responsible breeder i am very offended by the attitude that we do not care and would basically sell to anyone! I have refused to let people have my rabbits on a number of occasions because i did not think they were suitable as pet owners now thats not to say they did not go somewhere else for a rabbit. But noone gets a bun off me unless i am happy that they seem like good people. I will take back pets that are no longer cared for, because even tho i am a dreaded breeder i do have a heart and cannot stand to see anything unwanted or unloved, and will take in any waif and stray just as my poor husband. I have dogs rabbits guinea pigs, tropical fish and want to rescue some battery hens (hubby says no to this one :roll:). I care very much about animal welfare and would like to help out with a rescue. I welcome anyone from rescue centres to see my animals and the conditions they are kept in because each one is pampered and adored. And i could not agree more that bad breeders need to be stamped out :censored:

[Teepee]

New owners also sign an animal adoption form with all this on with any special conditions relavant to each case (rspcarabbits)

I signed those! YUP! I had to agree that I would return the hamsters to the rescue before I tried to re-home them myself. I would ALSO add that while I was asked (not forced as said!) to "keep in touch regarding progress" I was ALSO encouraged to call the rescue if there was any problem "in the world" regarding my hamsters.

I became very good "internet friends" with one rescue person as a result - I would mail her "updates" on a regular basis and she would be quick to acknowledge them each time. I never had a "problem" with any of my hamsters but it sure felt good to know that people cared if I did. Little Milo lived to a grand age for a Syrian (exact age unknown but I had him well over 2 years) and died just before Christmas. He was the last of the adopted hamsters I kept as the short life-span of such animals seemed to cause endless pain...Hence my change to rabbit keeping.

BACK TO POINT: Rescues 100% TRY THEIR VERY BEST not only to home an animal with a person likely to continue the highest quality of care but also to be a "listening post" if anything DOES go wrong. I personally have full respect for them and would (should I decide to extend my bun family in the future) go STRAIGHT to a rescue as I have confidence that they'd supply me a bun COMPATIBLE with my situation by their very nature.

TP;)

[rspcarabbits]

When you say pet shops /breeders cannot cannot be held to blame for idiots ect......well yes they can because they are the ones that sold the rabbits with little or no care to idiots in the first place and they are the ones who generally have no long term re-turn policy in place.If they did and they were held responsible for the outcome, they would not sell them in the first place.

In my oppinion on this score you are ill informed.

I have to say although in part i agree with you and maybe did not put across well enough what i was trying to say. As a responsible breeder i am very offended by the attitude that we do not care and would basically sell to anyone! I have refused to let people have my rabbits on a number of occasions because i did not think they were suitable as pet owners now thats not to say they did not go somewhere else for a rabbit. But noone gets a bun off me unless i am happy that they seem like good people. I will take back pets that are no longer cared for, because even tho i am a dreaded breeder i do have a heart and cannot stand to see anything unwanted or unloved, and will take in any waif and stray just as my poor husband. I have dogs rabbits guinea pigs, tropical fish and want to rescue some battery hens (hubby says no to this one :roll:). I care very much about animal welfare and would like to help out with a rescue. I welcome anyone from rescue centres to see my animals and the conditions they are kept in because each one is pampered and adored. And i could not agree more that bad breeders need to be stamped out :censored:[/QUOTE]

My comments are generalisations that I believe hold true at this time.

However it is nice to see a responsible breeder respond in this manner. I have no doubt that they did exist like you but from our perspective the vast majority fall into the other category.I have no idea what is said in breeders forums but it would be nice to think they are all being encouraged to act as you do .:)

[minimack]

I have never disagreed with that i personally think rescues do a wonderful job and admire the work that they do. all i am trying to get across tho is that not all breeders are bad. I have not taken a holiday for 5 years to i do not trust anyone to look after my animals. I do not like every one being lumped together whether it be rescue good / breeder bad as there is good and bad in both. I just think it would be better if people worked together. which is why i keep coming on this forum even tho i am about as welcome as smallpox lol

[rspcarabbits]

By the way in the last peice my comments are the last two paragraphs.

[minimack]

I have to say although in part i agree with My comments are generalisations that I believe hold true at this time.

However it is nice to see a responsible breeder respond in this manner. I have no doubt that they did exist like you but from our perspective the vast majority fall into the other category.I have no idea what is said in breeders forums but it would be nice to think they are all being encouraged to act as you do .:)


I do understand where you are coming from as you only see the bad side of breeding however when you see malloclusion and other genetic defects being eliminated it is wonderful to see happy chunky bouncy babies hopping and binkying (yes they do do that with breeders too lol) with thier mums.

There will always be backstreet breeders sadly which is where most of your rescue buns come from im sure. :censored:

I do find rescues to have a slightly holier than thou approach but if we start to remove the barriers and try to change this good/bad image i am sure it would be better for everyone.

And in answer to your question yes breeding sites are a mine of information on bunnies and what best for them and breeders proudly showing off their beautiful buns.

[rspcarabbits]

I have never disagreed with that i personally think rescues do a wonderful job and admire the work that they do. all i am trying to get across tho is that not all breeders are bad. I have not taken a holiday for 5 years to i do not trust anyone to look after my animals. I do not like every one being lumped together whether it be rescue good / breeder bad as there is good and bad in both. I just think it would be better if people worked together. which is why i keep coming on this forum even tho i am about as welcome as smallpox lol

I totally agree and I for one welcome you on here.

It is important for there to be an exchange of perspective even though at times it can feel like you are a leper. You don't have to be on here long to realise the rspca is far from perfect and we ourselves take a lot of stick for others failings. However like ourselves I hope you continue to stay and put forward your case for truly responsible breeders. They have as much their place as appaulling rescues should'nt have theirs.

Its all about standards and responsibility and I'm sure we agree on that.:)

[minimack]

Thank you RSPCA most definately agree. i will continue on this forum as i know my animals are well cared for and i know many breeders that are scared to come on this kind of website for fear of imo 'lunatic bunny liberators' who feel it necessary to go and free buns from breeders homes. putting bothe their rabbits and families at risk, although i know that this is a very small proportion of people it is never the less a worry.

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

Hi all, well you've been busy since i last posted!!!:wave:

I've been reading all your comments and truly i understand and take on board every point you have made. The truth is my intentions were never to just buy the bunny, i know the chances are his space would be fiiled with yet another unhappy bun.

All i ask you to do is think what you would do in this situation, i know that there are many more deserving bunnies out there but i'm asking you to think of what you'd do after seeing what i've seen and knowing there's a poor bunny still stuck in a petshop, true he's being fed and watered and is in a far better condition than many bunns are today.

I spoke to them today and they've now re-directed me to the area manager, (trying to fob me off i think) but there we are. Unless i can adopt him then i'll stay away and try not to go there, but then there's a new pets @ home opening not far from me and it won't surprize me if he ends up there.

I wish that i had never seen him in allot of ways, but then it's opened my eyes and made me consider many things!

I'll now have to talk to them on monday again, if i have no luck then i'll give them my details and say that if he doesn't find a home then i take him on.
And i'll just leave it at that!

Thanks for your help and advice,

Gem

[abbymarysmokey]

Thank you RSPCA most definately agree. i will continue on this forum as i know my animals are well cared for and i know many breeders that are scared to come on this kind of website for fear of imo 'lunatic bunny liberators' who feel it necessary to go and free buns from breeders homes. putting bothe their rabbits and families at risk, although i know that this is a very small proportion of people it is never the less a worry.

This comment is laughable :lol:

This forum has no involvement in stealing well cared for rabbits from anybody...even breeders!

Anybody who tells you otherwise is talking out of their behind. :lol:

[cute_fuzzies]

This comment is laughable :lol:

This forum has no involvement in stealing well cared for rabbits from anybody...even breeders!

The 'forum' may well have no involvement - but, as many recent events have indicated, you just do not know who is reading the forums, or whether people actually post the truth about themselves.

[abbymarysmokey]

The 'forum' may well have no involvement - but, as many recent events have indicated, you just do not know who is reading the forums, or whether people actually post the truth about themselves.

But you could say that about any forums, not just this one :?

In fact people on here are probably members of other rabbit forums anyway.

In my experience random strangers are less likely to do you harm than people you know.

[rspcarabbits]

But you could say that about any forums, not just this one :?

In fact people on here are probably members of other rabbit forums anyway.

In my experience random strangers are less likely to do you harm than people you know.

Anyone care for some sweeties? or maybe if you are good you can see my baby bunnnies:lol:

[minimack]

I was not suggesting that anyone on here would do that but it does happen. I said that peoplewere afraid of that happening and quite rightly so.

I am not trying to cause any arguements just put across a different opinion and perspective.

And as for the poor bun at p@h i would have adopted him too if i could poor soul sat there waiting for someone.

And yes RSPCA i would like some sweeties maybe sweeten the atmosphere lol.

I am being good;)

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

Hello all, finally got some news, i spoke to the area manager today and i will be adopting the giant bunny tomorrow!!!

They did at first say that they would refund me the cost of the vaccinations but they also suggested that they would take him back to the vets to clarify his health, apparently he has an allergy to straw and saw dust etc!!!

They've taken into account that as he's been there so long and he may have health problems in the future it's better to give him a chance of a loving home and allow me to adopt him.

So i'll collecting him tomorrow!!!!:D:D

Yippee, I'm so pleased that i can save this one and give him a chance!!!!

Question is how much should i give as a donation, i have to give something in order to adopt him!!!

[mindymoo]

A donation to what??? Tell them you will give a donation to a local animal charity of their choice instead...they earn enough money the tight scroates!!

[Sarah86]

That's fantastic news- we expect lots of pics!

Give them a fiver, sod them (I wouldn't advocate giving such a small amount to a rescue though)

[Siona]

Give them a pound. It's a donation isn't it? :)

[jackiestone]

oh that is great news,i am so pleased,does he have a name already?Surely if he has been there that long the staff must have a name for him,anyway great news! ;)

[SmokyJoe78]

Good news Gem. Looking forward to photos :wave:

[abbymarysmokey]

They did at first say that they would refund me the cost of the vaccinations but they also suggested that they would take him back to the vets to clarify his health, apparently he has an allergy to straw and saw dust etc!!!



I count that as being possibly the fourth adoption rabbit from P@H with a 'hay allergy'...strange how proper rescues don't seem to encounter this problem :roll:

I REALLY hope that it is an allergy and not something more sinister :?

[bunniemum]

I count that as being possibly the fourth adoption rabbit from P@H with a 'hay allergy'...strange how proper rescues don't seem to encounter this problem :roll:

I REALLY hope that it is an allergy and not something more sinister :?

Funny you should say that, as when I was in my local P@H recently they had 2 bunnies up for adoption due to hay and sawdust allergies:?

[rabshan]

Great news that you got the Giant bun:wave:
Bunniemum the two buns at our local P & H that you saw:shock:were they the dutches:? havnt been in for a few weeks as i cant bear to see the giant bun who is in there or i will end up "getting" him:cry:
I am hoping that he has found a home as he has been in there for ages and is getting BIG:cry:

[minimack]

Good luck for tomorrow

[feeling_the_wrath_already]

We can only go by what the vets tell us.

Funnily enough, we had a bunny a little while ago who was sniffly and sneezy - we took him to the vets and indeed, he said it was an allergy to the dust from the woodshavings etc.

I'm sure there would be more uproar if we decided to just ignore the veterinary advice given - chances are, being unqualified, we would get it wrong more times than we got it right. Not having a vet degree and all...

Sorry if that sounds sarcastic, but what else can we do? Legally, we'd have no leg to stand on for ignoring veterinary advice!

If you're concerned that the vet has got it wrong, or you think the staff are just saying it, maybe worth asking for the vet report?

Anyway, regards to the donation, i'm sure you realise that it doesn't go to the company, it goes to the charity. There was a thread in rabbit chat (which of course only got a couple of replies because it was a positive P@H thread) which stated that cottontails rabbit rescue got a few thousand pounds from the charity. Which of course is money from the donations through adoption.

Just thought i'd let you know in case you didn't see it :wave:

[Siona]

Could P@H put sawdust sensitive buns on vetbed or profleece rather than propogate their problems? Just a thought. It would also demonstrate to prospective buyers exactly what they would need to house their sensitive buns on. :)

[bunniemum]

Great news that you got the Giant bun:wave:
Bunniemum the two buns at our local P & H that you saw:shock:were they the dutches:? havnt been in for a few weeks as i cant bear to see the giant bun who is in there or i will end up "getting" him:cry:
I am hoping that he has found a home as he has been in there for ages and is getting BIG:cry:

Yes thats right, though I didn't see the Giant this time ...... :(

[feeling_the_wrath_already]

Could P@H put sawdust sensitive buns on vetbed or profleece rather than propogate their problems? Just a thought. It would also demonstrate to prospective buyers exactly what they would need to house their sensitive buns on. :)

I would have thought, seeing as this bun had been diagnosed allergic, that they would have taken it off woodshavings :) at least, I don't think anything has been said to the contrary?

[honeybunny]

As it is now widely known that buns and pigggies shouldn't be kept on shavings..why do PAH continue to do this?
Wouldn't finding an alternative solve all these allergies

[Siona]

I would have thought, seeing as this bun had been diagnosed allergic, that they would have taken it off woodshavings :) at least, I don't think anything has been said to the contrary?

But if he was not on shavings anymore why is he still sniffly? What bedding is he on?

[shel20]

fantastic im so glad he has gt a loving home! personally i dont think u shuld always look at the bigger picture, sometimes u should just look at what differnece u can make to just 1 bunnys life and and feel happy
that u have made it better, you cant save every bunny but the small things make a big difference, i:D would have done the same! hope the bunny is happy now with u insted of in that pet shop, well done u!

[BeckyLH]

Excellent! Great news for this bun, so excited for you and Mr Giant!

As for wood shavings, awful things, can't understand why anyone would use them, lol x x

[rspcarabbits]

I count that as being possibly the fourth adoption rabbit from P@H with a 'hay allergy'...strange how proper rescues don't seem to encounter this problem :roll:

I REALLY hope that it is an allergy and not something more sinister :?

Over the last 10yrs we've seen 100s of bunnies, some of them in a pretty poor state however I cannot recall one single case of hay allergy.

I cannot comment on sawdust as we would never use the stuff we only use hay for everything......its a bit of a pain really as its relativly expensive(compared to sawdust), bulky, messy and expensive to dispose of in the quantities we use. However it is good for the rabbits so thats it.

On the subject of this allergy thing .Could someone from one of these large stores please tell me what the difference presentation wise between an allergy and say pasturella is for instance.....now we have seen plenty of that in all its forms and all the future complications it causes .More to the point we treat it and make any future owner aware of it.

This is a genuine enquiry as if we are to believe from what we read in these pages, it seems endemic in some of these stores then we can be assurred these same rabbits will to some degree find their way through to us in the end and we need to know what to look for.

If it is an allergy and if from information given on past threads is true, then the 5 huge breeding centers for a certain large chain of stores seems to have a problem with its genetics so to speak .It would appear from a lay perspective to be a problem specific to them and they would appear to be responsible for producing the problems.

So which is it?

[kayjay]

I'm sure Gem is aware that she may well be taking on a rabbit with pasteurella, which may require ongoing treatment. I find it hard to believe that it's an 'allergy' but at least this is one rabbit who will get a good home and proper care. Best of luck with him x

[abbymarysmokey]

Over the last 10yrs we've seen 100s of bunnies, some of them in a pretty poor state however I cannot recall one single case of hay allergy.

I cannot comment on sawdust as we would never use the stuff we only use hay for everything......its a bit of a pain really as its relativly expensive(compared to sawdust), bulky, messy and expensive to dispose of in the quantities we use. However it is good for the rabbits so thats it.

On the subject of this allergy thing .Could someone from one of these large stores please tell me what the difference presentation wise between an allergy and say pasturella is for instance.....now we have seen plenty of that in all its forms and all the future complications it causes .More to the point we treat it and make any future owner aware of it.

This is a genuine enquiry as if we are to believe from what we read in these pages, it seems endemic in some of these stores then we can be assurred these same rabbits will to some degree find their way through to us in the end and we need to know what to look for.

If it is an allergy and if from information given on past threads is true, then the 5 huge breeding centers for a certain large chain of stores seems to have a problem with its genetics so to speak .It would appear from a lay perspective to be a problem specific to them and they would appear to be responsible for producing the problems.

So which is it?

I think you make some really interesting and valid points here :thumb:

Could you start a new thread so we can discuss it further? People won't necessaily look at this thread because it's run for so long.

IMHO Pasteurella has been endemic at P@H since the days when they were called Petsmart...probably because of the poor breeding establishments they use. I'm sure the actual breeders used have probably changed, but I bet the quality of the breeders, and therefore the quality of the rabbits, has not :cry:

[kayjay]

I seem to remember a couple of years back Sue (Dobbin) bought Dobbin from P@H and had dreadful problems with his pasteurella

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

Hello all!! He's home at last!!!!!!

We went to pick him up today and i had a feeling that something would happen, e.i. he wouldn't be there or i'd end up argueing with someone again!!!!

Well i ended up argueing!! We turned up and basically introduced ourselves and we discussed the donation!!!!! I stated that as a was aware that it was going to help other bunnies in need then i would contribute £20.00. I'd love to give more but when you consider that he's in need of medical treatment, needs vaccinating and neutering i could easily spend a good £250.00 sorting him out!!

Well that apparently wasn't enough, they wanted me to contribute at least half of the animals value, my reply was that he wasn't worth anything in his current state and this was not the impression that i had been given when i spoke to the area manager yesterday, so after much argueing (why does this always happen) and saying that i would refuse to pay that amount. I had travelled a good 50miles to get him and i would not leave without him!!! The manager then spoke to the area manager and then came out apologizing to me!!!!

Saying that she wasn't fully aware that this was the case and they'd hapily accept my £20.00 donation!!!

Then i asked about what food he had been fed and was told that he was on :censored: guinea pig nuggets!!! I asked why this was the case and basically they stated that they fed all their animals on it as it had extra vitamin C. I said that they shouldn't be fed on food formulated for guinea pigs not to mention that he is a rabbit and the fibre content is only 15% ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHHH.

I will never go in pets a home again!!!

He's still got quite a dramatic cold and i'm not convinced it's an allergy, I think that with the right antibiotics he'll come right. His fur is in bad nick, which is usually a sign that their unwell and his nose is quite crusty!!

I've settled him in one of our upstairs bedrooms, I take some photo's when in a while, i don't want to stress him further.

We're now trying to think of a name for him, apparently he was called william but i want to get to know him a bit before i decide on what to call him.

Thankyou all for your advice:wave::D:lol:, i will keep you all posted on his progress and post up some photo's soon!!!!

Gem

[BeckyLH]

Aww glad to hear you've got him home Gem and I can't believe how :censored: Pets at Home are!!!! :evil:

[sdf76]

another Ru member has a quote about a boy putting a starfish back into the sea and when told he couldn't help all of the starfish said
"well it helps THIS one!"

You have helped THIS bun. wel done -Sue:wave:

[kayjay]

Fingers crossed for him, I hope you get him back to health... guineapig nuggets for a giant rabbit which is growing - shame on them :evil:

No doubt the P@H spokesperson on RU will be along to expain why they feel guinea pig nuggets are a good diet for rabbits

just as an aside, I didn't think rabbits could catch colds??

[bunniemum]

Congratulations on your new arrival :D It's so nice to here this little, well big boy has finally found a loving home :)

[mindymoo]

Congrats on the new addition to the family...:wave:

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

Well he seems to have settled in well so far. Likes our company, sat next to me now!:wave: We had to do his claws, never seen any that long before!!:censored: Some had started to curl back around.

[BeckyLH]

It gets worse! So glad he's finally got a forever home :)

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

The new addition!!

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f167/M1Gts/100_1125.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f167/M1Gts/100_1132.jpg

[BeckyLH]

Gorgeous! What a stunner!! :D

[kimd6200]

arh hes lovely.wat breed is he meant be?doesnt look too giant.xx

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

I believe he's a french lop, but then they didn't know exactly (business as usual) I'm only guessing. I look at him and think that he's not that big but when i compare him to my other two he's huge!!!!

[Woodlouse]

Got a name yet?? He's lovely btw x

[feeling_the_wrath_already]

Could someone from one of these large stores please tell me what the difference presentation wise between an allergy and say pasturella is for instance.....

I personally wouldn't have a clue myself - that's what vets are for in my book! And like I said - if the vets say it's an allergy, who are we to say otherwise? We are but lowly pet shop workers...


No doubt the P@H spokesperson on RU will be along to expain why they feel guinea pig nuggets are a good diet for rabbits


Didn't know there was a 'spokesperson'? There's a few of us that work there who give our opinions. Can you please clarify :)

Anyway, guinea pig nuggets are clearly for 'guinea pigs', funnily enough... don't know why you'd think anybody (here, at least!) would say they were good for rabbits? That store is talking crud and aren't following policy.

Send a letter to HO outlining why you are mightily annoyed with them, pointing out that the store are feeding unsuitable food to the rabbits, when they should be doing otherwise. :)

[Gem in pembrokeshire]

We've named him,

We've decided to call him Benny or ben for short. He's greated us now by peeing on the floor!! The first of many benny!!!!:D:D

Let the litter training commence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jenzel5]

:DI have to say this site confuses me. The conversations about pet shops and breeders etc. I have many opinions about it all but will not go in to it!! I am so glad you have been able to give this bunny a new forever home. Just because he was unfortunate enough to be placed at pets at home does not mean someone shouldn't buy or adopt him to give him the love and care he deserves. He's a bunny who needs love and care like the rest and shouldn't be forgotten about. I'm so glad you fought for the little one (or big one) lol:D:D Good luck with the litter training!

[kayjay]

Awww welcome Benny, he's lovely, and I hope you get the litter training sorted soon, he must do quite big poops and wees lol!!

[Minimallow]

Hes gorgeous. Glad he has a loving home :)

[hooleyslops]

hes a lovely boy and congratulations on giving this fella a fantastic home - hes one lucky bun. x x x

[Sugarbunny]

Lucky bun!:D

I get so upset when I see rabbits who have been in the Pets at Home I use, for a long time - makes me want to take them home too!

[Lucy]

Being as this rabbit was from pets at home, I would normally say no way should anyone have taken him. However, the fact you paid £20 means they have made a loss which is a good thing. Lets hope they quickly rethink stocking giant breeds now the fad seems to be fading a bit.

[Lucy]

Lucky bun!:D

I get so upset when I see rabbits who have been in the Pets at Home I use, for a long time - makes me want to take them home too!

Maybe finding another pet store and not supporting them would be a better solution to getting upset?

[Denny]

Lucky bun!:D

I get so upset when I see rabbits who have been in the Pets at Home I use, for a long time - makes me want to take them home too!

Its upsetting for everyone to see them in pet shops and is easier on the heart by not entering these shops and putting yourself through the heartache of seeing them.

This said though, what is more heartbreaking to see are these rabbits

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/longstay.asp

These buns have been waiting for a forever home far longer than any pet shop rabbit will:cry::cry::cry:

Or these buns who are far from that baby/youngster bun that pet shops stock but those that are classed as middle aged to elderly which no pet shop will stock:roll:, again, many are still waiting for their home to come and have been for quite some months:cry::cry:

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/search.asp?RabAge=%3E%3D+5&RabSex=%25&County=%25&pg=1

He is lovely Gem:):):) welcome Benny Bun:wave:

[BB Mommy]

He's lovely Gem - glad he has a forever home now.
He looks like a frenchie to me too.

Maybe it is worth following up with PAH, as in writing in again to ask them to consider whether it is worth this branch "re-stocking" giants in light of the fact that Ben had been in there for so long with no interest, and they ended up making a significant loss in both the sale value and vets costs?

[drpengie]

Aww he's lovely. Glad you got him in the end. Hurrah!!

[rabshan]

The giant that i had fallen in love with at P & H has gone:cry:BUT another one has replaced him:shock::cry:(no surprise there) It,s another "older" bunny so will probably be there for ages:cry:
I asked if they ever get does in :?apparently not or very rarely:?wonder why:
Glad you got your gorgeous bunny :)he,s a lucky boy:)?

[Hugbut]

Benny is gorgeous :love: I'm so pleased you decided to give him a home :D