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We rescued a bunny! (well sort of!)

Kittykat23uk

Mama Doe
Today on our way home from work we went a different route. I spotted a bunny running loose in the grounds of a block of flats. We stopped to try and pick it up but it wouldn't come near enough to us. So we drove home, grabbed the pet carrier and some treats and headed back out to try and rescue it. I mean, there was a road right there and it was running around in the road. :shock: So we felt we couldn't just leave it. :(

Anyway, we get back there and Ian runs off to try and coax it into the carrier, meanwhile I take a look at the ground floor flats and find one with a gated off area with a makeshift pen with a near identical bunny inside:D. Tried knocking, no one home. Just then, bunny comes round the corner, I opened the gate and managed to coax it back inside the gated pen.

Just as we're about to leave the owner returned to the house. A lovely lady obviously an animal lover who explained that this bun thinks he's a cat and likes to go walkabout. She also has a dog and some cats, one of which got run over last night. :cry: I did try to persuade her that it might not be a good idea to let bun go walkabout, thinking foxes, cars etc. But apparently the bun is streetwise and the cats she owns beat up the local foxes so won't come near the place. :shock:

The bun has already had a run in with the local constabulary. :shock::lol: She sad she was going to put a sign up telling local people about the bun's habits so that people like us don't try and catch him!
 
She sounds like a bit of a moron to me tbh. What sort of person actually lets their rabbits out to run free and tells people not to catch them?! Especially as her pets are being run over. :roll:

I'd find it hard to describe her as an animal lover if she does that. :(
 
I was hesitant to write this up, and to be honest I don't like to judge, because I've not had the best of luck with my pets, despite my best efforts. I did feel I ought to mention what happened to my buns, even though they were in a run in my garden, hopefully she might have second thoughts about letting the bun free range, but he comes home every night when she calls him, so really is it much different to owning a cat who roams? I mean, cats are also at risk of cars, foxes, dogs etc. I wouldn't let mine free range but is it worse than keeping them cooped up in a hutch? :?
 
I was hesitant to write this up, and to be honest I don't like to judge, because I've not had the best of luck with my pets, despite my best efforts. I did feel I ought to mention what happened to my buns, even though they were in a run in my garden, hopefully she might have second thoughts about letting the bun free range, but he comes home every night when she calls him, so really is it much different to owning a cat who roams? I mean, cats are also at risk of cars, foxes, dogs etc. I wouldn't let mine free range but is it worse than keeping them cooped up in a hutch? :?

Yes but cats aren't at risk of predators and they are much more intelligent than a bunny. They slink about and more often than not avoid traffic. The fact that you saw this rabbit in the road suggests her rabbit is not streetwise. I really can't see why she'd think it'd be a good idea to let her rabbit loose near a busy road. Normally, you only hear of people doing stuff like that when they actually want something bad to happen to their pet.

I'm sorry if it sounded like I was having a go at you, I wasn't at all. :) - I know what you mean about judging people and obviously you met this woman so can make a better judgement than I can - I just can't believe she'd think her rabbit would be ok loose and in the road. And of course there's a very high risk that someone will just pick her rabbit up and take it home. If she really loved it, why take the risk?
 
I know you aren't having a go at me :D and all your concerns ran through my mind also. To be honest, it's not something I would allow my buns to do personally. In a way I'm just playing devil's advocate, and it's good to open this up for discussion. But, I'm just conscious that there is a remote possibility that she might visit the forum that's all. ;) The buns both looked very healthy and happy too. But it is our responsibilty to keep them safe that is for sure.
 
I know you aren't having a go at me :D and all your concerns ran through my mind also. To be honest, it's not something I would allow my buns to do personally. In a way I'm just playing devil's advocate, and it's good to open this up for discussion. But, I'm just conscious that there is a remote possibility that she might visit the forum that's all. ;) The buns both looked very healthy and happy too. But it is our responsibilty to keep them safe that is for sure.

Aaahh, I see. If she seemed like a nice person, I wouldn't want to risk causing offence either. Some people just aren't that clued up about bunnies...

I was talking to my neighbour over the fence last night and he was telling me that his rabbits had had more babies and he found one that only had two legs. :shock: I know he got his buck neutered a couple of months ago too so the breeding's going on between brothers, sisters and mummy rabbit. They also keep them in with GP's and... ducks! I can't bring myself to say anything. Mostly because I don't want to come across as patronising and offensive and also because I don't want to risk falling out with the neighbours. I've taken to dropping hints and telling them all about how I care for my buns and how happy they are and I'm hoping they'll think about researching a bit better off their own backs.
 
Its all we can do really. I must say I'm still learning from mistakes too. We used to have a nethie with a guinea when I was younger, and guineas who bred. Never knew it was wrong at the time. Now I'm older I know better.
 
Goodness, I made a million mistakes in the past too.

I bought a GP to keep my first rabbit company. It turned out I was really allergic to him so they never did get introduced and the GP went to live with a neighbour.

I'm now ashamed to say I've kept bunnies in three foot hutches and fed them the wrong things. Now that I know I've done it, I look back and feel terrible for those pets. :oops: But all you can really do is learn as you go along. Most people start with advice from the pet shop and not many people ever think to question that it might be wrong.

I hope this lady will stop letting her rabbit out. Perhaps as you know where she lives now, you could anonomously pop some useful leaflets through the door. :)
 
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