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Would you do this? Q. post 32 Please Read

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obsessedwithanimals

Mama Doe
Transport this bunny in a large transport carrier(big enough to allow some space to exercise, absorbent pad or something, hay,food, water and one or two toys etc.) 6 and a half hrs boat trip, 3 hr car trip too A and 2 hr car trip too B too his new home? The bunny would come back with you as you had been visiting your friend abroad.



If you knew that one of your best friends family abroad was willing to give you their gorgeous white with black spotted bunny who lived in a hutch that was about 2x1.5 ft permanantely, unbonded, unneutered and unvaccinated, fed on a diet of muesli, the odd pieces of vegetables scraps, water and bedded on straw. BUT the owner didn't want to change the way the rabbit was kept but did want to give him too you. And you had lots of space, love, vaccinations, time, a little bunny friend,correct diet and a neuter to give?
 
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It would have to depend on how well the rabbit travels i.e does he get stressed, because if he does then it's a very long journey :? Is there nobody who lives near them who can give him a better life than he already has?
 
Regardless of the situation, I don't think you can just bring an animal back from abroad, have you checked out the animal import regulations that apply to rabbits?
 
ripminnie said:
It would have to depend on how well the rabbit travels i.e does he get stressed, because if he does then it's a very long journey :? Is there nobody who lives near them who can give him a better life than he already has?
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I'm not sure exactly how the bunny would cope. I don't knwo him very well. Picked him up once or twice for a cuddle.
And played with him on the sofa once. :/ He's called Nibbles. He lives in the Netherlands.
People in Holland are very badly educated on rabbits it seems. Hardly any rabbits are neutered or vaccinated.
I love Nibbles. :love: I wish I could give him a fabulous home. :(
 
ripminnie said:
It would have to depend on how well the rabbit travels i.e does he get stressed, because if he does then it's a very long journey :? Is there nobody who lives near them who can give him a better life than he already has?
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JLG said:
Regardless of the situation, I don't think you can just bring an animal back from abroad, have you checked out the animal import regulations that apply to rabbits?
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Both of the above. You'd need to know a lot of other things before you do this.
 
I don't know... depends on the health of the bun, I suppose... yes, I probably would - but there will be others better qualified than me to comment. Actually, thinking about it, I definitely would because if, for some unfathomable reason, I had to move back to the UK, Muppette and Gingernut would come too.

However, assuming that the 6.5 hour boat trip is to the UK from France and it is therefore a Brittany Ferries boat, they don't carry rabbits. If it's le Havre to Portsmouth via LD Lines that may be different. Check before you book.

I've just looked on the DEFRA website to see what you have to do in order to bring a rabbit into the UK from an EU (I assume) country - and the answer is... nothing. :)

Edited to add: I see you'd be travelling from the Netherlands so probably not Brittany Ferries. Just be sure to check with the ferry company that there is no problem and remember that with some ferry companies, pets cost extra so you need to mention him when booking.
 
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KarenM said:
There aren't any restrictions on rabbits being brought into the UK from EU countries.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/other-animals/

As already said, I think a lot would depend on how well bunny is likely to travel. Would you be able to break the journey up? It doesn't sound like his current living conditions are that great. :(
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I think you can leave your small pet in a travel carrier in your own car. So I think you don't have to leave them in the special pet kennels on the ship. Once the door of the car deck is shut I think it is pitch black in their though.
I'd be travelling with the Stena Line who often have various pets travelling with them from horses to ferrets.
 
obsessedwithanimals said:
Once the door of the car deck is shut I think it is pitch black in their though.
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There's always a level of lighting on the car decks for safety reasons. Low light and a semi covered carrier wouldn't be much different to a hutch at night or a burrow anytime of day, I would have thought.
 
obsessedwithanimals said:
Is there any way you could find out how stressed the bunny might be if he travels?
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The only way I know would be to judge it on previous 'travels' that the bunny had done, for example trips to the vet, trips to boarding etc. The current owner would be the best one to judge this I suppose.

I am pretty sure that none of my own bunnies would cope well with a journey like the one you describe, because a simple 10 minute drive to the vet's is quite stressful for them. However all buns are different.

I know you are desperate to help this little bunny, and that is admirable, but perhaps there are different ways you can help rather than by bringing the bun on a journey like that. Is it not possible for you to help the bunny's owner rehome the bun locally to them? For example by advising how best to advertise the bun, about homechecking etc? All this is on the assumption that the current owner is not able to improve conditions themselves.
 
AnnieElms said:
The only way I know would be to judge it on previous 'travels' that the bunny had done, for example trips to the vet, trips to boarding etc. The current owner would be the best one to judge this I suppose.

I am pretty sure that none of my own bunnies would cope well with a journey like the one you describe, because a simple 10 minute drive to the vet's is quite stressful for them. However all buns are different.

I know you are desperate to help this little bunny, and that is admirable, but perhaps there are different ways you can help rather than by bringing the bun on a journey like that. Is it not possible for you to help the bunny's owner rehome the bun locally to them? For example by advising how best to advertise the bun, about homechecking etc? All this is on the assumption that the current owner is not able to improve conditions themselves.
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I'm almost 100% sure this bunny has never been to the vets. I know that would be better. It's just so difficult to find anybody in Holland who even provides big enough acccomadation for their buns yet alone who really loves buns and vaccinates etc them. :cry:
Presuming the rabbit is in a carrier that is the same size has her hutch(sad I know) and has the same food and bedding(with the same smell) etc. in the carrier and is seated in a secure place in the car and my dad and I don't play any music or talk loudly in the car would he prehaps be okay?
The engine of the ferry does concern me though. :/
 
Personally, i don't think i'd do this, and i'd urge you to consider this fully and not make a snap decision.

There are so many factors/variables that you dont know.

You've already added the fact that you know nothing of the rabbits history, it has never seen a vet. By the living conditions, this rabbit is already likely to have dental issues, extreme muscle wastage, possible respiratory illness if its not cleaned out frequently, are you in a position to help said bunny? Do you have full support of your parents (if i remember rightly, you are a younger teenager) to pay for hundreds, possibly thousands of pounds (yes, it can be that much) worth of veterinary bills and accomodation upgrades etc?

The stress of the journey could exasserbate any existing illness, and could actually cause other illnesses, as stress severely restricts a rabbits immune responses to things, so the journey could make the rabbit sick.

There are over 35,000 rabbits in rescues around the UK - why not help one of them, rather than bring one in from a foreign country?
 
obsessedwithanimals said:
I'm almost 100% sure this bunny has never been to the vets. I know that would be better. It's just so difficult to find anybody in Holland who even provides big enough acccomadation for their buns yet alone who really loves buns and vaccinates etc them. :cry:
Presuming the rabbit is in a carrier that is the same size has her hutch(sad I know) and has the same food and bedding(with the same smell) etc. in the carrier and is seated in a secure place in the car and my dad and I don't play any music or talk loudly in the car would he prehaps be okay?
The engine of the ferry does concern me though. :/
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it's the same thing everywhere really. the average uneducated owner houses them in a 4 ft hutch, without a friend, unneutered, feeds mainly pellets, etc. It's only really people who research on rabbit forums like this one, or get knowledge from someone who does, who know how to properly care for them.
 
Providing he is not a stressy traveller, and is in good health I'd do it. I'd not want a carrier thats too big though, he'll be sliding all over the place in the boat. I'd want to discuss with a vet the possibility of some sort of sedative, and I'd also want him given fibreplex for a couple of days before and after. Rabbits dont like to eat or drink much if at all when they travel, mind, so that could be a big problem.

Annabelle was in her carrier about 7 hours when I travelled home with her, she is nervous but she is a plucky bun with a lot of character, and she was fine. We were on the train though, which is much quieter than a boat, and not a lot of movement either. We also had 2 breaks at the stations, and she accepted some pellets then.

In his current position he'll likely be in pain now or in the future from spinal/bone problems from not getting exercise, or dental problems. You MUST, however, be prepared that this bunny may need A LOT of money spent on it. Minimum £100-200 for neutering and vaccs, but he will likely need dental work as well (say £70-150), and may have other problems from being kept like that. These problems may be ongoing. Can you afford him?
 
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