Rescues near Leicester (Honeybunnies etc) - Any Room at the Inn?

Hi all,

I didn't really know where to post this, as I can't post a new thread in Rabbits in Need, but I have seen an advert on Gumtree for a family of 5 rabbits.
The male and female are un-neutered and have had 3 kits. They are all in a double tier hutch together which is absolutely tiny and their current owner is now trying to sell them all on as a group, unspayed, unvaccinated and unsexed.

I have emailed to ask if he would pay to sex, neuter and vaccinate them himself before he sells them, or to hand them over to the local RSPCA so they can be cared for properly. I am prepared to go and get them mysef and ring the RSPCA but wondered if there were any other local rescues in the area who had any space? I can donate a little bit of money to try and help in costs, but it wouldn't be a lot.

I was just wondering if there any spaces in rabbit rescues at the moment, or I can ring the RSPCA which I know is not far from my house to see if they will take them in?

I don't normally do this, but I can just see this situation turning into a complete disaster.
He is selling them at the moment, they aren't 'Free to a Good Home' but I'm just wondering if it's worth trying to persuade him further to hand them over to a rescue and was wondering if you guys had any space before I email him and ask about it all? I have just made the suggestion at the moment, but could email again providing him with more details etc.

Nothing may come of this at all, and you may not end up with any rabbits at all, or with a couple but not all of them etc etc. I'm just concerned that he's going to sell them on to someone inexperienced who will end up with even more kits than they can handle and even more rabbits end up in a rescue because of it. The advert was placed a couple of days ago so the buns my have already been sold.

Sorry if this is inappropriate/ you are full/ this isn't the right thing to do, I just wasn't sure what to do and didn't want to email and say "I'll come and collect them to take to a rescue etc" before working out whether there were any spaces or the RSPCA would take them etc.

:?
I've worked myself up a bit thinking about this poor family and now I don't know what to do. Someone just tell me I'm being nosey and silly and to keep my sticky beak out and I will.

You're not nosey or silly and you've done the right thing in coming on here and asking for advice.

Sadly though I doubt any rescues will be able to help Re-homing is very slow again which doesn't help

There are situations like this everywhere you look and it's incredibly hard to say no but that's what the rescues have to do, day in, day out

The best thing (& only thing) you can do is to offer advice (as you already have), stress the importance of neutering etc.

I think the situation will be the same at all rescues, but if you wanted to extend your plea for rescue space a bit further afield, then I'd be prepared to help with transport if needed.

Im sure Elaine at tameside said she had room in a thread not so long ago?

we are full with some due in..however I did have a call from someone earlier today saying they had 5 rabbits..mum dad and 3 16 week old babies..but they said dad was now neutered..told them no point if any of the babies male as still all together in a double hutch..did give them advice but said we cannot fit more in at present..wonder if the same people:?

Tracy said:

I think the situation will be the same at all rescues, but if you wanted to extend your plea for rescue space a bit further afield, then I'd be prepared to help with transport if needed.

Click to expand...

missFloppyears said:

Im sure Elaine at tameside said she had room in a thread not so long ago?

Click to expand...

Thank you I don't mind travelling an hour or so, so Derby, Notts, Cov, Northampton, Brum are all within easy enough reach for me. I just don't want to take them on with nowhere to send them, or just leaving them with the RSPCA.

honeybunny said:

we are full with some due in..however I did have a call from someone earlier today saying they had 5 rabbits..mum dad and 3 16 week old babies..but they said dad was now neutered..told them no point if any of the babies male as still all together in a double hutch..did give them advice but said we cannot fit more in at present..wonder if the same people:?

Click to expand...

These kits are only 10 weeks old, but a very similar situation, all together in a double hutch although it doesn't state in the advert whether the male has now been neutered, although as you say, any male kits and you're in the same predicament anyway.

Would I need to ring the RSPCA to ask them about taking these buns in or could I just turn up with them? I'd feel a bit mean doing that to them, turning up and giving them 5 rabbits which aren't even mine. As I say, I'm just concerned that if they are un-neutered there could be 10+ buns in a matter of months and some poor new owner might not know what to do and the poor things could be left somewhere or sold on in unneutered groups and the problem continues to grow, do you know what I mean?





Thank you Jen, for saying I'm not silly.

Cari you are not silly to be worried
but..the RSPCA are full as are most decent rescues.

my advice would be..stop looking at Gumtree and free ads
I've had 3 calls today, including one mentioned above, to take in rabbits..all urgent and all told no

Sad as it is we cannot help with all..
if you do take these..then make sure it is a rescue you trust..one that homechecks, neuters and vacs and does NOT rehome babies with a promise from owners to neuter later as this cannot legally be enforced and is a waste of time

Also you have just got Stephen on the road to being well..so keep these rabbits away form him and use quarantine procedure as you don't know how healthy they are..

don't think i'm being horrid..but browsing free ads will just upset you as you may help these..but what happens next week when you see more..and more...and more ?

honeybunny said:

Cari you are not silly to be worried
but..the RSPCA are full as are most decent rescues.

my advice would be..stop looking at Gumtree and free ads
I've had 3 calls today, including one mentioned above, to take in rabbits..all urgent and all told no

Sad as it is we cannot help with all..
if you do take these..then make sure it is a rescue you trust..one that homechecks, neuters and vacs and does NOT rehome babies with a promise from owners to neuter later as this cannot legally be enforced and is a waste of time

Also you have just got Stephen on the road to being well..so keep these rabbits away form him and use quarantine procedure as you don't know how healthy they are..

don't think i'm being horrid..but browsing free ads will just upset you as you may help these..but what happens next week when you see more..and more...and more ?

Click to expand...

Wise words, such a sad situation, but sometimes ignorance is bliss

honeybunny said:

Cari you are not silly to be worried
but..the RSPCA are full as are most decent rescues.

my advice would be..stop looking at Gumtree and free ads
I've had 3 calls today, including one mentioned above, to take in rabbits..all urgent and all told no

Sad as it is we cannot help with all..
if you do take these..then make sure it is a rescue you trust..one that homechecks, neuters and vacs and does NOT rehome babies with a promise from owners to neuter later as this cannot legally be enforced and is a waste of time

Also you have just got Stephen on the road to being well..so keep these rabbits away form him and use quarantine procedure as you don't know how healthy they are..

don't think i'm being horrid..but browsing free ads will just upset you as you may help these..but what happens next week when you see more..and more...and more ?

Click to expand...

I thought that might be the case. I know, I know I shouldn't, just as I shouldn't go into P@H and stare at the adoption centre either I wasn't even really looking, I was looking for a better carrier as Stephen hates the current one and just came across it.

I don't want to make Stephen poorly and would not be able to keep these rabbits for any length of time anyway, the only thing I would be able to do would be transport them to a rescue to make things easier for the owner. I only have 1 small hutch in the back garden, suitable for 1 small - medium bun so couldn't keep them to quarantine, I would just have transported them somewhere better.

Ho hum, it was just a thought hopefully with the information their current owner will sort them out.