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Too Many Calls

honeybunny

Wise Old Thumper
I've had so many calls in the last fortnight to take in rabbits..and I know all rescues are the same
Tomorrow I'm going to pick up 4 x 11 weeks old girls who have been in with their 2 brothers...who I will get next week if we have room
and also collecting 2 x pairs of bunnies
Next day might have to collect another pair and Faye is picking up another doe to foster
That leaves me with approx 17 on the waiting list to come in....and I've not been adding any for a while as no point:cry:
I really want to update and improve my set up but at present all time is spent just coping with the bunnies
I really despair at this ongoing problem with all types of animals and wonder when will anything be done by the "powers that be" to stop all this dumping/irresponsible breeding of pets:cry:
 
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Do you think it's possible for us as a forum to try and get some sort of law passed in Britain? A law like all rabbits sold must be spayed/neutered first?

It would be easy to collect data from all the people who run rescues and a few of us could prepare it all and take it to a local MP for starters. It's something I really want to do and I know it wouldn't help with the people who impulse buy pets, but I believe it would go a long way to helping with the situation as a whole. Pet shops would have to charge more for rabbits to cover the cost of the neutering which would put people off.

What do you think, could it be taken seriously?
 
The thing is it's not just rabbits..it's dogs, cats, guinea pigs, horses, hamsters..the list goes on and on..the whole idea of pet ownership needs looking at and some sort of legal controls brought in
As pets are actually living things..then they should be protected from being seen as just another possession, and the idea that, even if you haven't the finances, time or space for a pet, but you want one so you think its your right to have one,..has got to be challenged.
on this forum we see some of the fall-out from irresponsible rabbit breeding and/or neglect and cruelty of these little animals..but this is just a very small tip of the iceburg
Just take a look at the dogs on death rows in the council pounds..80% are staffies...then take a look on the free ads at all these "decent" breeders churning out staffie pups :cry:..no one can have any justification for breeding or buying a staffie pup with the situation the way it is ....but people do:(
Our local Cats Protection Charity are fighting a losing battle trying to neuter all feral cats..but so many cats are allowed to breed with no thought to the kittens.

It's just endless
 
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The thing is it's not just rabbits..it's dogs, cats, guinea pigs, horses, hamsters..the list goes on and on..the whole idea of pet ownership needs looking at and some sort of legal controls brought in
As pets are actually living things..then they should be protected from being seen as just another possession, and the idea that, even if you haven't the finances, time or space for a pet, but you want one so you think its your right to have one,..has got to be challenged.
on this forum we see some of the fall-out from irresponsible rabbit breeding and/or neglect and cruelty of these little animals..but this is just a very small tip of the iceburg
Just take a look at the dogs on death rows in the council pounds..80% are staffies...then take a look on the free ads at all these "decent" breeders churning out staffie pups :cry:..no one can have any justification for breeding or buying a staffie pup with the situation the way it is ....but people do:(
Our local Cats Protection Charity are fighting a losing battle trying to neuter all feral cats..but so many cats are allowed to breed with no thought to the kittens.

It's just endless

:cry:

Poor doggies! I would have them all in a heartbeat if I had a huge house, garden, woodland and no need to work........ I would be the english version of cesar milan.......imagine all those wet sloppy kisses!! I would have no need for a bed! We'd all snooze in a warm heap :love: :lol:
 
So sad it must be really hard for you and all other rescues.

The comment about a law got me thinking. I cant remember the days when dogs had to be licenced but was the situation for dogs any different then?
 
It is so sad when Britain is meant to be a nation of animal lovers....that we have such large numbers of ill treated & abandoned animals. I always wanted to be a vet, but I could not have put down animals purely because of not being able to find them a forever home, that would be like murder :cry:

It saddens me to hear about all the buns, dogs, cats etc that are continuously needing loving homes, I truly admire the work that Jill & other rescues do, I wish I could run a rescue instead of having to work, my lifes dream if I ever come into the smallest amount of money that would let me do it... the government really need to raise the profile of animals.

In America people need a license to keep a dog in mosdt states, in places such as newyork there are size restrictions, perhaps people should have a license to keep pets, and be held to account for them, and a license to breed, so that unwanted pets arent being churned out and animals without loving homes may then not need to be culled. It makes me so sad I could cry:cry:
 
It's awful how irresponsible people can be. It reminds me of the old 'dog for life, not just for christmas' campaigns which were still largely ignored. Many people don't actually realise what's involved in taking care of an animal at all. It's one of the things where animals put us to shame sometimes.

I did a lot of research before I got my bun. I always wanted a bunny but never really thought about what was actually involved. When I got to the point where I knew I wanted a pet I wanted to make sure I had everything covered, and I admit, there were times when I felt I couldn't be responsible enough to take care of another life that depends on me. I still feel like that sometimes even though I have the little grumpy chops (hehe.) The thing that put me off a lot was the issues of health and everything else nature seems to want to throw at rabbits, especially. My own apprehension on the other hand ended up making me realise why I should have a pet bun. I knew that they were often neglected and abandoned and I guess it appealed more to my nature that I wanted to help him because there was a chance that he'd be destroyed otherwise.

I've had him for about 16 months now and I don't regret the decision at all. He's literally the best friend I could ever have and I would never let anything happen to him. I put him before myself. I'm merely a student and money's tight, but I make sure he's fed and looked after before I even consider myself. If he was wild, he would have his own family doing their best to care for him as I have, but it's really sad to think that someone else could've had him and let him down.

I know sometimes I'm probably not always doing the right thing by him but I try to do my best always. My failings are largely down to inexperience, but I am getting better, along with the cuts and scrapes he gives me to let me know when I've done something wrong, but I know when I get it right, he rewards me for it by showing me he loves me.

I suppose, what I'm saying is a pet, not just a rabbit, can show a person how to be responsible if they want to be responsible for their pet. It still utterly baffles me how a pet owner can fail to take the proper care of something that can be so rewarding. The upside to rescue centres is that at least there's a chance that they will be properly cared for in the short term. Sadly, there's many other animals that still suffer from neglect and never get a second chance that they deserve. I often wish I could take on another rabbit to give my Kirby a companion, but it's not viable and I know that if I did, I would end up crossing the fine line between being responsible and being irresponsible.

Sorry that you're having a hard time, but I'm sure I speak for everyone that cares about our pets when I say that we appreciate good people that are willing and able to make that sacrifice to give their lives that chance. It may or may not be a thankless task for some, but we thank you.
 
Absolutely heartbreaking :cry::cry: A bad winter and a recession and breeders are still churning them out and denying they are adding to the problem.

I remember reading a thread about a year ago where it was being said that PTS is inevitable for healthy unwanted animals as there will just be not enough rescue/foster places - new homes for them :cry: ... then the rescues get the blame for being heartless :cry::cry: It hope it doesn't happen and I hate to think of the pressure on the people at the sharp end as well as the poor innocent animals :cry::cry:
 
It is horrific. It used to really get me down, but honestly I don't think about it anymore - I guess it's a good job that there are people like you, who do

I would love to have loads of land. (& a lottery win). I'd fill it with unwanted animals (& staff to take care of them:oops:)
 
it is horrific, though with bunnies they not only pets but also pests which is very sad
 
I suppose, what I'm saying is a pet, not just a rabbit, can show a person how to be responsible if they want to be responsible for their pet. It still utterly baffles me how a pet owner can fail to take the proper care of something that can be so rewarding.

I could not agree more. From my own personal experience it is beyond frustrating how some owners can be so stubborn about the care they give their pets "they're fine, look at them, nothing wrong with them", and the total lack of responsibility taken. I agree that when you take on ownership of any animal, you have a responsibility towards that life which should not be taken lightly. I would love to see a compulsary licence required for anyone owning a pet, but this would be such a huge task I can't ever see it happening :(. Doesn't stop me thinking about how it could be done though ;) or constantly thinking of just what more we could do to make things better!
 
It is ... it realy gets me down at times ..
i had to turn away a litter of 8 week old babies today ...i felt realy bad..

i told them about rr and gave them other rescue numbers to try but now im worried what they will do if they cant find any where for them :(

we have at least one call ...often more ..just about every day :(
 
and the idea that, even if you haven't the finances, time or space for a pet, but you want one so you think its your right to have one,..has got to be challenged.

I wholeheartedly agree Jill. Sadly though, these are the very same people who produce children hand over fist with no means of supporting them. Luckily for them (but unluckily for the tax-payer), the State provides hand-outs for human children but not for animals. So they just get dumped on people like you.

I'd like to think there was a way around this but the feelings all of us on RU have towards our pets are sadly not shared by the majority of the general public, who see pets as disposable items, to be cast off when they're no longer of entertainment value.
 
I personally think pet shops should be giving out better advice. I know from my experience of volunteering at a rescue that as soon as you tell people how much space buns need (and that this will be checked), how much vaccinations etc cost, buns come in pairs and that the little bundle of fluff they see doesn't actually like to be cuddled then they are put off.

Not sure if they are put off completely or just go to a pet shop for an easy time of it but if they do go to a pet shop and get the same info I think people would think twice abou the animal they buy. I also think that if rodent/rabbit farms were banned then pet shops would have more incentive to do things ethically.
 
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