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Pets at Home Adoption Scheme.

Charmednm

Mama Doe
Hi there.

Just wondering has anyone adopted an animal through this, would you care to recommend/share stories :) ?

Thanks for any help in advance


(P.S this is my first post :p)
 
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I adopted Dana through them she was handed in by the parents of s little girl who no longer wanted her she is lovely wee bun and I got both my degus through the adoption again sold as kids again returned when child no longer wAnted them
 
My nearest one works closely with the local SSPCA branch, and helps out with rehoming the small animals, and advertising. I fully support mine :wave:
 
Thanks guys. There was this gorgeous lop/lionhead bunny there when i went in and i immediately fell in love.

Came home told my mum and she didnt seem to fussed that i might bring her home.

Gonna phone up first thing for her n ask for her to be kept till i get there :lol:
 
I adopted one of my buns, Gemma, from the PAH Adoption part. I can't remember the reason I was given why she was there but now I have had her a longish while, I am sure the real reason was because she is soooooo destructive. She is a nightmare and only today has nommed my internet cable for about the fifth time. She does it in the minute I take down the barrier to feed her - it is amazing how she is more interesting in eating cable than nomming her own food. Gemma is slowly eating my house - piece by piece:shock:

My hamster is also a PAH adoption. His previous owners didn't want him. Guess they had got bored with him.

Last week I adopted a guinea-pig, also from PAH. He is six months and was given up because he didn't 'mix'. He is totally adorable and I am sure he will be fine once I find him a friend.
 
Yep. The story should be the reason why the animal is in the adoption section.

Well I know that the story of the one i want to adopt is true because the owner was there. Not that im doubting the stories, and tbh id take any wee animal home no matter the story
 
A lot do tend to just tend to be unsold stock or have reasons such as 'I don't get on with other rabbits' (they would if they were neutered!) but apparently they do often get animals just dumped on them, personally I'd choose a rescue first as they are usually more reliable and the rabbits are already vaccinated/neutered
 
The one i saw today the woman was nearly in tears giving her up but she had to because her wee girl was allergic ): . I saw the shop assistant handle her and she was very tame and didnt mind at all getting picked up. As for injections/spayed I have no idea but I dont mind getting them.
 
Ive been animal daft since i was young and i bought my own rabbit the day after my 20th birthday (6 months ago) and have basically looked after her myself with my mum occasionally feeding her while im at work. She is happy and healthy so I believe I could :) I have two wee ones about my house but I have never seen children that take so much care with animals not even me at thier age.:lol: Ima gonna go for it and if i do ill post some piccys :)
 
We have two lovely buns (Bear and Willow) from P@H rescue section - both had been there a while, both are agoutis and noone was interested in them as they didn't look 'cute' enough! They are fantastic buns, healthy and well socialised.

Different people have different views however every bun deserves a good life - if you think she's for you - go get her!!

Ruth x
 
Bit of a sweeping statement.

I worked there as a manager for 4 years and not once, did we make a story up.

Ill re-phrase that tot he majority of the ones i know ;)

My local one just sticks the ones they cant sell into the adoption pens and say rubbish like my owner could no longer care for me, even tho i'd been in the day before and saw them in the other pen...........

They also wont accept any animal in unless its vet checked, I was once full to the brim of rabbits and run out of space and ended up having a litter of 15 week olds dumped on me. Pets at Home were a last resort so i called them yea you can bring them in aslong as they are vet checked, vax'd and nueterd..... =O Having already explained the situation.
 
Personally I wouldnt do it again, I know thats probably not what you want to hear.

Barney was sort of from the adoption section - his old owner couldnt keep him anymore and so she gave him to them, but they couldnt put him in the adoption bit as he was considered a giant rabbit and they didnt have a free pen big enough, so the manager (lovely lady) took him home whilst they waited for a home for him, so he wasnt on display as such. I worked with the manager's boyfriend at the time, and he asked me if I wanted him.

Barney seemed perfectly healthy when I got him. I've had him a year and 4 months now. He has snuffles and mild dental problems, both of which will require ongoing treatment for his whole life and are incurable. He is also deaf, has been incontinent recently and has another couple of symptoms that the vet hasnt found the reason for yet. They dont usually keep their animals long enough in P@H to be able to diagnose many problems, and they do not routinely check their teeth or neuter either. I have actually seen a few animals that are showing symptoms of being unwell on display, and staff seemed suprised when I pointed it out.

When I decided to get him a friend I decided not to make the same mistake again, I went to a good rescue (www.windwhistlewarren.org.uk) that advised me on the right bunny both for me and Barney. I came home with Annabelle. The rescue knew her medical history, her parents medical history, her personality and so helped me find the right bunny for both me and Barney. She was already spayed and vaccinated and had had a full dental and health check - and they keep rabbits for a certain amount of time before rehoming because rabbits can hide illnesses so well. So no nasty suprises.

Barney cost me £50, plus vaccs £30 plus neutering £55. He's also cost me around £350+ in vets bills. Overall cost : around £485.

Annabella cost me £50. That included her vaccs and neutering. The only time she's needed the vets is for ongoing vaccinations (rabbits need 1 vhd and 2 myxo a year). Overall cost: £50

You also have to remember that not all rabbits will get along. Rabbits are social creatures and really need a friend 24/7, so if these two didnt bond you'd want to get each a friend - what started off as 2 rabbits suddenly becomes 4. I had an agreement with the rescue that if the rabbits didnt get along I could take her back and try another, most rescues will be happy with these arrangement. Many rescues will actually do the bonding for you as well, saving you a lot of hassle and stress. They also have years of experience with pairing rabbits, so they can help you choose a rabbit with a personality that is likely to get along with yours.

I'm not saying its a bad thing to get rabbits from the adoption section, I did it myself and every time I go in the animals there tug at my heart strings. But be aware of the disadvantages, it has the same pitfalls as buying a pet shop bunny - you dont really know what you are getting. Barney isnt really an ill rabbit - he has very mild versions of both snuffles and dental problems, but the anesthetics, culture and sensitivity tests, blood tests, xrays, and examinations as well as ongoing treatment all add up, the diagnostics were the most expensive part. If I had a rabbit with a more severe form of these extremely common conditions, it would cost me over £150 a month in vets bills, and I have a very cheap vet. I would definately reccommend insurance for any rabbit, although be aware it wont usually pay for routine dentals.

As an aside note, just in case you didnt know, you will have to keep your rabbits completely separate until around 8 weeks after they are both neutered and they are vaccinated, and I would also quarentine the new one if you do get it from p@h, as it wont have been yet. Of course if the rabbit is already neutered and vaccinated and has been healthchecked (like my Annabelle) then they can be bonded together straight away.
 
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Phoned up about little bun, rosie her name is, and shes not available for rehoming until Tuesday morning so if i want her i have to be there at nine on the dot when they open to get her for defos. I think if im not she will be away because she looks like one that would be taken away quickly :)
I might go in on monday to have a wee look at her to see how she is. But im pretty set on getting her.

Thanks for all your advice though. I am grateful
 
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