Feeling so sad... :( (Long post)

I am writing this on here, as I think/hope that you will understand how I am feeling, being rabbit lovers too... It is a rather long post, so you may need to sit down
Back in the end of July 2011, I went to my local rescue and adopted Logan, my Agouti and also Reginald T Piggy, my guinea pig, whilst there I saw the most adorable REW Lionhead Lop... he had come in with his brother and they had come in yellow and stunk of each others wee, they were cleaned up and castrated, but whereas his brother had gone off to a new home this one remained, in rescue. I couldn't stop thinking about him and soon I reserved him. I named him Amos.
A few things happened, so I couldn't take him straight away, we were moving house, I had work problems and health problems, but they were fine about the delay and we decided as we were moving to get him bonded straight off so he could make the move with a wife and we went off to another branch of the rescue and found a darling Harlequin doe, who had been abandoned and called Hattie. It was love at first sight and they went off to be bonded properly.
Then my baby bunnies Marble and Minstrel, who had been found abandoned in my garden, both went into stasis and depsite lots of treatment etc, they were put to sleep, I was heartbroken, but I knew I had my own bunnies and also Amos and Hattie were due home as well.
The minute they came home, they fitted like a glove, Amos being so much like my first bun Raffles, he would throw tubes at me, pull his litter tray apart, toss food, so full of character he was. Hattie was a poppet, a little more shy than Amos, but she jumped up beside me on the third day and licked my hand I told her I would never part with her and that her previous owners were horrible - she had been found on a beach.
Then two weeks later on Monday morning (we were due to move on the thursday) I saw Amos had lesions under his mane, thinking it was mange I phoned the vets to make an appointment for tuesday morning, so we could get treatment before leaving Essex. Then Hattie's nose began to swell and I phoned the rescue to see what they thought, they told me to bring them back that night, so they could assess them.
As soon as they saw them, the carrier was practically snatched from my hand, they had myxi!:shock: They were a danger to my own rabbits and had to be quarantined, which I had been doing at home anyway, thankfully.
The woman knew I was leaving the county on thursday and I was sobbing my heart out, the thought of having to part with my precious duo, after having to wait so long to have them in the first place. I barely slept that night and in the morning I emailed to ask her if I could take them seperately and have their drugs, could I collect them on thursday before I left? I just didn't want to be without them. I was told it was best they remained where they were.... but we could arrange some sort of rabbit run when they were better, which lifted my spirits a little.
That was back in late October 2011. I have kept in touch, have been told told a few people would bring them up to me, but they never have. I tried to put them out of my mind, as it seemed that they had gone for good. But, after losing my darling girls Issi and Pixie, I kept thinking about them and wondered if they were still in rescue and if so, I must get them home and I will go and get them if needs be, even though I don't drive.
They are in foster, I was told, which made me feel so happy as I thought I would get them home at long long last. Someone the woman knew was going on holiday soon and could bring them up to me!! I said I would pay expenses etc...
Last night I was told the fosterer has fallen in love with them and doesn't want to let them go.... that I am out of order for wanting them back.
But I never wanted to let them go in the first place, they were taken from me without chance of a goodbye and now I will never see them again... Yes maybe I should have arranged a courier etc myself, but with other animals to feed, a new house to sort out etc it wasn't easy and besides every email said that someone she knew would help out with transport.
There are lots of other rabbits and in time I will find another duo, but not like my Amos and Hattie, it seems the promise I made to Hattie is well and truly broken... I know I have only myself to blame too.

I'm so sorry this happened. I am glad they managed to recover from the myxi. It seems a little out of order that the rescue won't let you have them back. :? Obviously I don't know the details but it sounds as though they didn't put much effort into you getting them back. I don't know what has been said though so I can only presume.

Did you let the rescue know that you intended on having them back? Perhaps they were unwilling to let them go back to you after paying for the vet bills etc? I really can't say for sure. I'm sorry I haven't been much help, I didn't want to read and run.

X

I think its more the fosterer doesn't want to give them up really.... Don't blame her, but it hurts so much

I'm very sorry you are in this position. It seems hard that you are not to have them, but at least you know that they are loved and cared for.

that seems so unbelievably unfair. Had u signed anything when u took them, to say they were now owned by u? They were yours when the rescue took them back off u, and u let them go for their own good, not because u wanted to.

They are your rabbits, if it was me id pursue it legally.

In my home we foster cats. The cats can stay with us for months or even years, but they always go home in the end no matter how we feel, even if we cry over saying goodbye we're always happy to send the pets back to their rightful homes knowing we've done our duty, foster owners KNOW this, we're only given the offer of adoption if the original owners call up the sanctuary/rescue and say they won't be able to take the cat back ever. Surely the foster owner has no right to forcibly keep the rabbits from you? :shock:

I mean if I'm being honest it sounds like the rescue didn't want you to have the bunnies back which is why they never organised a bunny run and then have suddenly told you that the fosterer wants to keep them. Fosterers may take on bunnies but not when they are meant to have a home to go to. :shock:

I might be completely wrong about this, and I hope I am, but it seems like it to me. Were they vaccinated when you got the bunnies? Did they have /myxi when you got them or did they contact it whilst in your care? I'm not sure about the time scale between you getting them and them asking for the bunnies back to see their vet.

Aw i'm so sorry this has happened to you and that you feel this way about the situation. When I moved to Norwich to go to university I couldn't bring my rabbit in the first year so my mum took care of him. In my second year I moved into shared accomodation and brought my bun to Norwich. But then my circumstances changed and I had to find him a home. Initially a friend of my mum's who lived locally agreed to foster him for me and I could still visit him. But life has a way of getting in the way and over time I saw him less and less. I knew he was better off with my mum's friend. He had a huge garden and his own shed to live in and roam in. He dug his own burrow under the shed and became part of Rod's family. I knew I could never take him back, even if my circumstances allowed. Sometimes you just have to do what's best for the buns. Even if it hurts. x

Hmm not sure what to say Claire, haven't you had lots of buns and pigs from this rescue? I can't see why they suddenly wouldn't want to home to you anymore particularly knowing what a good home you provide. I can understand that you feel sad to have had to part with the 2 of them it must have been so hard. However, if the fosterer has fallen in love with the duo and they are staying there then they have their happy ending even though it is not with you. It was not your fault you had to part with Hattie and she would understand, it's not like she has been abandoned again she has a husbun and a happy home and some of that is down to you I know they were special but you are like me Claire and you find a special quality with everybun that passes through your doors. You offer homes to those that noone else will. I think you must be feeling raw still from the loss of your 2 girls and the loss of these 2 has hit you hard as well. Let your heart heal a bit and then those buns in need will soon be landing on their paws finding a home with you xxx Pm me anytime you need a chat xxx

If you took them to th vets then you are the named person for those rabbits on file and you would pay the bill which means that you are the rightful owner. In that case and as the vet said it was in the best interests for the rabbits to recover before moving then you still are the rightful owner and acted according to your vets instructions so sadly the fosterers would have no right in law to keep the rabbits unless you had handed them over or not stayed in contact with them or obv were a danger to them.
By law who ever pays the vet bills is the rightful owner and you were the one who took them to the vets so I would imagine this would be your case.

winnies angel said:

If you took them to th vets then you are the named person for those rabbits on file and you would pay the bill which means that you are the rightful owner. In that case and as the vet said it was in the best interests for the rabbits to recover before moving then you still are the rightful owner and acted according to your vets instructions so sadly the fosterers would have no right in law to keep the rabbits unless you had handed them over or not stayed in contact with them or obv were a danger to them.
By law who ever pays the vet bills is the rightful owner and you were the one who took them to the vets so I would imagine this would be your case.

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Unless I've misunderstood, the vet appt was made but not kept as, unfortunately, the Rescue took the rabbits back.

Babsie said:

Unless I've misunderstood, the vet appt was made but not kept as, unfortunately, the Rescue took the rabbits back.

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ahh I misunderstood I thought
"Then two weeks later on Monday morning (we were due to move on the thursday) I saw Amos had lesions under his mane, thinking it was mange I phoned the vets to make an appointment for tuesday morning, so we could get treatment before leaving Essex. Then Hattie's nose began to swell and I phoned the rescue to see what they thought, they told me to bring them back that night, so they could assess them"
was she took them to the vets not the rescue! oh dear

winnies angel said:

ahh I misunderstood I thought
"Then two weeks later on Monday morning (we were due to move on the thursday) I saw Amos had lesions under his mane, thinking it was mange I phoned the vets to make an appointment for tuesday morning, so we could get treatment before leaving Essex. Then Hattie's nose began to swell and I phoned the rescue to see what they thought, they told me to bring them back that night, so they could assess them"
was she took them to the vets not the rescue! oh dear

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:wave: