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Channel 4's cutting edge -special needs rabbits

Justine

Mama Doe
One of my forums has been approached by a TV production company and are doing a documentary about disabled and special needs rabbits for channel 4's cutting edge. If there is anyone here that has a special needs rabbit or knows anyone that does please PM me and I will send you the details.
 
perhaps, make sure about the way they are going to present this, often the programmes sensationalise the subject and ridicule the people. if it is a genuine documentary about the issue, then great.:D
 
They only want rabbits who are either about to have a traumatic surgery or one that is about to go on the journey, they want to film the "journey" they aqre also most interested in paralysis... I have contacted them about Lucy and she asked if I would consider putting her in a wheelie thing... :?
 
Personally I would not do it without seeking legal advice re the right to view the film before it goes on air to avoid any crafty editing making it look like I said/did something I did not say/do !!

I dont do trust at the best of times and most definately would not trust a TV programme's production team !!

I think they'd be better advised to contact a large Animal Hospital and film 'the journey' that way with the consent of the client and the Vet.......and the Bunny !!

Janex :)
 
Can I just say, Nothing at all has been mentioned about "The journey".

If anything like that, or anything else negative was mentioned or implied when they contacted us, then I wouldn't be posting it here. I'm just giving people a chance to take them up on this of they want to.
 
perhaps, make sure about the way they are going to present this, often the programmes sensationalise the subject and ridicule the people. if it is a genuine documentary about the issue, then great.:D

I agree, if you think of other things Channel 4 have done, then I can't think of an angle which isn't going to be ridculing rabbits owners :? I bet it will be something along the lines of 'Mad people spending all this money JUST for a rabbit'. And they will probably imply you are cruel for not putting them to sleep.
 
i'm just very wary as we were approached by a production team who were interested in doing a programme about people with various animals. one of the people who was going to be on was a man who slept with his iguana :shock:( not sexually, i don't think :oops:). we told them we weren't interested and they told us we were too normal anyway :?, i don't know if the programme ever got made though, as i think they present an idea to the tv channels and look for them to fund it.
 
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Well I spoke to the woman yesterday I am afraid that is what I got told she told me as me and Lucy had already been through the "angst" we weren't viable!! :shock:
 
I got a message too:)

'Special Needs Pets' is a one hour long documentary, looking at the lives of disabled pets and the owners who care for them. It will explore the industry that caters to disabled animals, the dilemmas faced by pet owners whose animals become disabled as well as looking at how pet and owner cope with the changing circumstances. We also hope to investigate the science and cutting edge technology used to care for and prolong the lives of disabled animals.
 
Ok, we contacted her with your worries to see what respose we would get.

This is her reply.

Hi Emma,

Thanks for relaying this - I'll try to explain what kind of film we hope to make and hopefully that will make your forum members feel a bit more comfortable.

We'd like the film to be a true reflection of the world of disabled pets. Within that world there are lots of different animals with lots of different disabilities, and owners, vets, therapists, ethicists and rescuers who have very differing opinions on how much a pets life should be prolonged and when its quality of life is no longer good - and we'd like to reflect all of these.

We'd like the film to be educational and informative. By appearing on Ch4 at 9pm the cause of disabled animals and any rescue centres we feature will be publicised, as will the veterinary care and cutting edge technologies that are now available.

We'd also like the film to be passionate and emotional - we want to reflect the close bond that owners have with their animals - often a closer bond if the animal is in some way disabled - and the lengths that some people will go to to ensure their pets are looked after and free from pain. While the thought of sleeping on the kitchen floor for 3 weeks caring for a disabled cat seems mad to some people, to others it seems perfectly natural.

We'd like the film to be light hearted at times too - without undermining the bond between animal and owner. Life with a disabled animal has as many laughs as it does tears and distress and we want to reflect this.

At its heart this film is going to be about the unwaivering love that people have for their animals - we don't intend to make fun of disabled pets, we intend to reflect the lives of owners and pets and the bond between them accurately. The film will be balanced - for every person saying its cruel to put a rabbit in a cart, there will be just as many people saying their rabbit has never been happier or more pain free.

I hope this will set people's mind at ease - if anyone would like to speak to me directly please do pass on my details.

Thanks
Annabel

Note from Emma: I think this is a very good idea, as it shows that disabled rabbits make just as good pets in the right hands as any other. I feel risks have to be taken for changes to be made. No one is laughing at these rabbits, and those that do are not worth bothering about anyway. This could help open peoples eyes that rehoming disabled rabbits is just as OK as having a perfectly healthy one.
 
if it highlights rabbit care and how complex these little creatures are, then it can only be a good thing. there's obviously only going to be a small part on rabbits, so it would be good to get someone to do it who can portray exactly the right message and drop in a few well placed hints about bunny care along the way :)
 
trouble is it's quite rare for lots of notice to be given re life changing dramatic surgery on a potentially disabled rabbit or indeed any pet.....they tend to be emergency situations...I think they would be more likely to see things like that if they shadowed a large vet surgery for a couple of weeks.
 
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