What do you guys think?

Ok so for the past few years a guy up the street gets bunnies and then lets them loose outside. Each year they always get hurt/die. We have had two of them in our yard the past few weeks. Their was 3 of them but a cat got the baby and killed it. The bunnies aren't to shy. You can get within a foot or so of them before they hop away about a foot or two. Today I cornered one and I caught it. It was a bit scared but it let me hold it and pet it for a good 15 minutes before I put it back down. I'd really like to catch them once we get the hutch built and keep them so they can have a safer and better life. But my parents think they are going to have a better life running around (they will for awhile) but I know they wont. All the other bunnies end up dying. I'd like to talk to the guy and see if he will let me have them if I catch them. How can I get my parents convinced that they need to be kept by someone who can take care of them like they need to be? We have to many hawks and feral cats for them to be out like this. People do feed them and they are healthy but something is going to catch them and kill them. Any ideas on what I can do?

Tell them that the guy up the street is contravening the Animal Welfare Act (2006)

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/act/index.htm

Especially because he doesn't know that they are getting a suitable diet; and they obviously aren't protected from pain, injury & suffering if predators are getting them.

Well today our gate was left open. When we got back from the store I went out in the backyard to close the gate. Then I saw one of the bunnies in the middle of the yard eating grass. So now one is in our backyard. It's safer then being out on the streets. I'm going to leave it back their until we get the hutch done then put him/her in there. I've named him/her little bunny foo foo. Haha it's a funny name I know!

foxyfaerie said:

Tell them that the guy up the street is contravening the Animal Welfare Act (2006)

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/act/index.htm

Especially because he doesn't know that they are getting a suitable diet; and they obviously aren't protected from pain, injury & suffering if predators are getting them.

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I think Bakersfield is in Calafornia? Sadly I doubt there's any welfare laws for bunnies out there

There is the humane soceity you could get in touch with.

i dont think you can catch it and keep it without permission because isnt that stealing???

Wispa & Zola said:

i dont think you can catch it and keep it without permission because isnt that stealing???

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No one legally owns the bunny now. They are just running around the street and going into peoples yards and so on. So if I took them it would be just like catching a stray dog.

I would check the law local to you. In the UK evenif an animal is stray it's counted as 'lost property' which means you have to make reasonable attempts to find the missing owner before you can claim it as yours. That would include things like reporting it to the police, local rescues/vets. That's why shelters have to keep stray animals a certain number of days before they can rehome them

I shouldn't think you'll have any problem if he's just letting them go though

I would also report him as he may be committing and offence and someone official visiting may stop this happening again

Tam

Tamsin said:

I would check the law local to you. In the UK evenif an animal is stray it's counted as 'lost property' which means you have to make reasonable attempts to find the missing owner before you can claim it as yours. That would include things like reporting it to the police, local rescues/vets. That's why shelters have to keep stray animals a certain number of days before they can rehome them

I shouldn't think you'll have any problem if he's just letting them go though

I would also report him as he may be committing and offence and someone official visiting may stop this happening again

Tam

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Here in Cali most animals are just put down when taken to the shelters. To many people just let their animals breed and then they can't find them a new home and then take them to shelters. Most of the sheltered animals adopted out are still young. Also we have tried to contact people about someone next door to us that have to many horses and to close to the property line and he doesn't take care of then right (you can smell them and during the summer months we have to deal with thousands of flys and can't even keep doors open) and they haven't done anything. We are in a little pocket of the county and not the city so much isn't done around here.