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Dutch RSPCA just rejected me! U/D All is good now!

huppie

Mama Doe
Hi all

We currently have a rabbit and hope to get another one soon. We have asked the Dutch equivalent of the RSPCA if we can take Huppie on a 'date'. They said fine. Huppie is out of her hutch for 12-18 hours a day and free to roam around her run which is 8 square metres (78 square feet). The rescue place have rejected us because they say that the hutch isn't big enough. It is the biggest we can find that can comfortably fit in the space available. There are two floors and each one is 155x59cm (5'1"x1'11"). I wouldn't mind but if someone came along with 20cm more hutch space but no run-space that would be ok!!!

I was sure this was big enough for two rabbits - both are about 1.5 kilos so not exactly huge!

Aaarrrggghhh, I suddenly feel **** and a bad owner!!! :shock::cry:

Emma


**************Update**************

Apparently, the lady didn't realise the hutch had two floors, even after I had sent a picture, or that the rabbits would have so much outside space (I told her twice)! Once that was explained in insanely minute detail she was ok. She also confirmed that there is no problem with Huppie being outside in her run/hutch combo 24 hours a day as long as it is secure - which it totally is. Hoorah! We don't have to lock Huppie up at night anymore and we can take her on her date to meet Fonzie, yippee!

Thanks for being patient with me yesterday - I was in such a state I doubted everything I was doing as a rabbit mum! I ate a lot of chocolate :oops:
 
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if they are not shut in the hutch at all and have 24 hour access to the hutch/run then i dont see why it sould be a problem have they actually seenyour set up? could you send a picture? it could be they are worried about the buns standing up or shelter maybe? could you maybe do an extension to your hutch to meet their standereds?
 
Hi, I am sorry to hear that you are disappointed, but it could be the fact that it doesn't meet the recommended size of 6ft x 2ft, though with that amount of run space if the buns were only using the hutch for sleeping in I wuld have thought that shouldhave been taken into account.
 
Their standards are that two rabbits can be kept in a space 2sqm (18sqfoot) 24 hours a day - to me this is way to little but there you go. As far as they are concerned I could fit 8 rabbits in my space! I can't find a hutch that is bigger and would fit in the width of my space.

I based my hutch sizes on the UK standard of 6x2x2 and I know it is short by an inch in depth and a foot in width but it was the biggest I could find and because there are two floors I thought that would be fine. The rabbits are also small so can stand up and take three jumps length ways and lie down width ways which is what the RSPC reccommends. I don't know what to do!

Am I evil? I thought 8sqm - 78sqft was good!!! :?
 
I don't understand.... if the space your bunnies will live is bigger the the space required I can't see the problem... Have you tried explaining the Sqft space the have etc? maybe they misunderstood?
 
Is it because they would be shut into the hutch overnight?

It seems a shame that the bunny would miss out on a good home because of it, especially as they get a lot more than the recommended space for half the day. I don't do it now, but Alfie was shut into a 6x2 hutch overnight so he had even less space than you're offering.
 
Well, I had been locking Huppie up at night because I thought that was what you were meant to do. Ironically, there is a thread on here somewhere about leaving rabbits out all night and I was posting about whether that would be ok to do. She is out from about 06:30-21:30 (later during the summer) every day, very rarely is she in bed longer (when I don't wake up on time at the weekends).

I have asked them if 24hours a day outide would be ok and have sent very detailed info about my routine with her. I seem to be doing the same as many non-pros on here - she gets her toilet cleaned every day, her hutch thoroughly cleaned every week, fed and watered twice a day (more water during the warm weather), fresh food every day, toys which rotate to stop boredom, boxes for digging in, at least 2 types of hay, never less than an hour a day just 'Huppie-time' (involving me sitting in coats and fleeces when cold). We don't go to the local vets but one half hour away that costs more because he is the national rabbit expert. Mercy only knows what else I can do.

What really winds me up though is that months ago I asked the same place for lists of places that sold hutches they approve of and they don't have any! Plus, the thought that someone else could come along and not do all of that and be accepted because of 20sqcm more hutch space and 6sqm less run space is very distressing!

Honestly, I don't know whether to laugh, cry or scream very loudly... I'll send an update when I hear back from her...maybe she'll do a home visit or something...
 
If they demand the hutch bigger you could always make a little extension on the front over one of the doors. Bit of plywood would work :)
 
If they demand the hutch bigger you could always make a little extension on the front over one of the doors. Bit of plywood would work :)

Genius idea - we have just the thing as well, it might fit over the door. I'll suggest that if the last thing doesn't work. I am feeling slightly more hopeful, still pretty lousy though...

Thanks Tamsin!
 
Apparently, the lady didn't realise the hutch had two floors, even after I had sent a picture, or that the rabbits would have so much outside space (I told her twice)! Once that was explained in insanely minute detail she was ok. She also confirmed that there is no problem with Huppie being outside in her run/hutch combo 24 hours a day as long as it is secure - which it totally is. Hoorah! We don't have to lock Huppie up at night anymore and we can take her on her date to meet Fonzie, yippee!

Thanks for being patient with me yesterday - I was in such a state I doubted everything I was doing as a rabbit mum! I ate a lot of chocolate :oops:

Emma
 
aww eating chocolate is a good thing(right lol)_ glad its all sorted and that your bun can get a freind xx
 
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