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Dilemma: School Bunny U.D Been contacted AGAIN 29.08

Sooz

Wise Old Thumper
I'v just had a voicemail on my mobile from the Head VN at one of my vets asking if I could call her back to answer a couple of questions. It turns out they have just stitched back together and neutered a clients pair of male bunnies, who at 6 months old decided they no longer liked each other (suprise suprise) :roll:.

One has come off OK and the other has a torn eyelid & nose, ripped ear and bitten genitals. He is currently residing away from his brother.

Now the vets have tried very hard to persuade them that these two should not be rebonded and maybe they should consider rehoming one and taking on a little girl. The problem is these bunnies are school pets, and it turns out, those of the school right next door to where I work. The teacher was adament that they wanted the bunnies back together ASAP :shock::shock: and wasn't having any of the vets advice so they called me to ask if I would speak to them (coincidence that I work next door, no-one knew this). They hope that speaking to someone independantly will reinforce the idea that re-bonding is a bad idea as no doubt one will be at the vets again very soon. The VN sounded desperate on the phone and the injuries were pretty bad.

However, if I cannot persuade them otherwise and they decide to go ahead, do I advise as best I can but ultimately let them get on with it or offer to bond for them *gulp* in the knowledge they are being done as safely and with as much experience as possible?
 
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Personnally I wouldn't offer to bond them. For one thing if you have just told thwem what a bad idea it is and then offer if they don't agree they will think they are right otherwise why would you offer. Also I wouldn't want to take it on as the risk of one getting hurt is too high and they may blame you for the injury and expect you to pay vet bills.

I would just offer advice and then walk away, I know it is hard but if people just wont listen.....
 
Oh no, what a situation to be in. :(:( I'm really hoping that they will listen to you but I'm not sure what I would advise to do if they don't. :? :? Is there no chance they will go back together now they've been neutered or has the fighting ruined their chances?
 
Would it help quoting the Animal Welfare Act where it states that animals need to be:
* housed with, or apart from, other animals....
* protection from pain, suffering, injury.

They are blatently crossing the line with both items by forcing two animals to live together that don't want to be companions (assuming it's not a one-off). They *could* be breaking the law by persisting with this if the buns really shouldn't live together :(
 
i have two brothers who lived together, and still do, i bonded two girls in with them after they were done and that wans't until they were six months old, they never faught. It may well be worth offering to attempt to bond them, or find a rescue who would be willing to try, on the condition that if you can not re-bond them (which in my experience once this level of aggresion is seen you wont be able to) They rehome one of them and get a girl bunny for the other?
 
I'm worried if I offer to do it, it's going to make me look very hypocritical as one moment I am spouting off that it is impossible and dangerous and then the other saying I will give it a go.

On the otherhand I really don't want a dead rabbit on my conscience, but then if I say I tried and failed would they carry on regardless. :?

We use disclaimer forms when bonding which state we cannot be held accountable for any expense or injury that may be incured as a result of bonding....not that I want to try it out anyway.

I have until Monday to get some kind of plan together.
 
Maybe don't offer to bond them but offer to help them find a girl companion, or come and talk to the children, or help them bond further pairs (such as one of their boys and a girl). Maybe offer to help them get a good setup that could work for the kids and the bunies, such as two pairs, so their have their neutered boys, and they each have a girlfriend.

If they don't agree then explain that it is neglectful to house two rabbits who fight, together and you can ask if they want the children they teach to learn how to neglect animals or look after them properly. Then explain that if they go ahead and do it, you feel you will have to alert the appropriate peopel about their neglect (you don't have to state who though, and you don't have to follow through).

I would try being nice and helpful first, and then if necessary, be less nice and helpful after.
 
Wouldnt the fighting of been down to hormonal issues as they wasnt nuetered? After nuetered and hormones have settled couldnt they be bonded again? I have 2 boys and a girl who live happily together.

Does she know how to bond, or would she just put them straight back in together?

I honestl think as a teacher she should be listening, she isnt setting a good example. Could you not approach the head of the school?
 
Personnally I wouldn't offer to bond them. For one thing if you have just told thwem what a bad idea it is and then offer if they don't agree they will think they are right otherwise why would you offer. Also I wouldn't want to take it on as the risk of one getting hurt is too high and they may blame you for the injury and expect you to pay vet bills.

I would just offer advice and then walk away, I know it is hard but if people just wont listen.....

Sorry Sooz but I agree. They may think again if they can't do it themselves or find anyone who would try to do it for them.

You can only tell them how you feel about it and give them the benefit of your advice.
 
Sorry Sooz but I agree. They may think again if they can't do it themselves or find anyone who would try to do it for them.

You can only tell them how you feel about it and give them the benefit of your advice.

What's to apologise for?
You must be mad if you think I want to do it! :lol::lol:
 
What's to apologise for?
You must be mad if you think I want to do it! :lol::lol:

No, but you are a good sort and want to do your best by the bunnies don't you so would do it to make sure that they didn't get hurt if someone else tried.

I do feel for you.
 
I'm worried if I offer to do it, it's going to make me look very hypocritical as one moment I am spouting off that it is impossible and dangerous and then the other saying I will give it a go.

On the otherhand I really don't want a dead rabbit on my conscience, but then if I say I tried and failed would they carry on regardless. :?

We use disclaimer forms when bonding which state we cannot be held accountable for any expense or injury that may be incured as a result of bonding....not that I want to try it out anyway.

I have until Monday to get some kind of plan together.


Tell them to contact me & I'll do it - with the conditions that if it fails they will get a girlie bun like you said & rehome a boy.

Then I'll fake it & not try:oops::lol:
 
Tell them to contact me & I'll do it - with the conditions that if it fails they will get a girlie bun like you said & rehome a boy.

Then I'll fake it & not try:oops::lol:

ohhh a cunning plan. once hormones have settled and they are all injury healed prehaps a rescue could try bonding them. be it yourself or someone else as i do thinkalthough its harder to re-bond buns who have fought sometimes after territory is removed and the hormones even with same sex pairs it can work. however do at your descretion and at least it would be as safe as possible if done with you? x
 
I wondered about faking it and not giving one back, but I'm too honest to say that so glad someone else said it :lol:
 
I wondered about faking it and not giving one back, but I'm too honest to say that so glad someone else said it :lol:

Typical it was me:oops::roll::lol:

I got a bonding next Sat that I think may be tough, & Nicky is on here, so maybe I should've kept quiet:oops::lol:
 
Or, swap one of the bunnies over for an almost identical looking spayed female and they might not even notice they'd been given the wrong bunny back. :lol:
 
Or, swap one of the bunnies over for an almost identical looking spayed female and they might not even notice they'd been given the wrong bunny back. :lol:

hope thats a joke.... if a bonding didn't work out would you really not give a bunny back? or not try and lie about it?.... we were thinking of getting a rescue to help with a difficult bonding at some point and am now a bit concerned as would definatly want the buns in question home and would allow them to live seperatly as they do at moment if that was the case.......hmmm i hope this is all just talk i think if anyone does say they will do it they should at least try and at first signs of it not working give up and tell the owners it didnt work. honesty is best right? it is down to the owners to make a choice tho i think that they should never put them together again if they fighting(except for possibly one more try by professional rescues).
 
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