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Do rabbit rescues make a loss?

Georgeypudding

Georgeypudding

Wise Old Thumper
I was just pondering this, I saw a rabbit up for adoption and the fee is £50 my first thought was "oo thats alot" and then I stopped to think about it!

Say I brought a rabbit from a pet shop, thats probably about £20. Then a combi jab which is around £40, plus neutering on top which varies between £30 and £100 depending on your vet!

So obviously for us it is cheaper to adopt but do rescues make a loss, or does your "rescue discount" if you get it mean you don't?
 
I think they would make a loss - think about the costs of neutering and vaccines and food, bedding, medicines ... It's really costly and I don't think £50 is really that much. BUT, you can see why people would be put off by it - they don't think about neutering and stuff before hand. Rabbits are just seen as cheap pets :(

We paid £110 to adopt our dog from the RSPCA which might seem a lot but he's neutered and was vaccinated etc.
 
I would imagine they always make a loss. Even if you assume they have a really cheap vet it is still:

Neuter: £50
Vaccinations: £30
=£80 minimum, plus all their food, bedding etc for however long they are there (likely a few months minimum) and any treatment for the health problems they have come in with, or any found at a later date. If they are there longer than a year you've got another round of vaccines too. In reality, they probably pay more for neutering and vaccines, as those costs are just based on the cheapest I've seen.
 
Its really sad that they have to make a loss, lets face it if they asked for more I think some people would be put off :( Even breaking even would be better than nothing
 
I suspect they make a massive loss. As well as neutering/vaccinating etc as a group I would imagine these rabbits are more prone to illnesses/be in need of health care than average, as in many cases it may be these that have caused the owners to give the rabbit up in the first place, eg the discovery that a rabbit will need ongoing dentals etc. Rescues would have to invest a lot in terms of money, time and care in some buns, just to get them to the stage where they're fit and healthy and ready to be adopted. I would imagine the medical bills are huge. :?
 
Even as a Gerbil rescue who doesn't require vaccinations and neutering (as a rule) I still make a loss - so bunny rescues loss must be far greater in comparison :(
 
I don't think profit/loss really comes into it with charities?

They have donations and/or assets and they spend the proceeds of these on the animals. It's always going to be 'lossmaking' but that is surely how a charity works?
 
Kavanne said:
I don't think profit/loss really comes into it with charities?

They have donations and/or assets and they spend the proceeds of these on the animals. It's always going to be 'lossmaking' but that is surely how a charity works?
Click to expand...

I was just wondering how home run rescues cope, obviously making a loss isn't great!
 
yes ...

we pay £43 castrate
£53 spay

£25 vaccination

we charge £50 adoption fee .

so thats a loss straight away ...

then we worm all the buns when they arrive ...some need mite or flea treatments ..

because we take in a lot of strays we also have other vet bills ...for eg anitibiotics for bite , sctratch wounds ...eye drops for sore eyes etc

then theres food , bedding ,

then other expenses petrol for vet trips , homechecks , ink to print paperwork etc etc .
 
Kavanne said:
I don't think profit/loss really comes into it with charities?

They have donations and/or assets and they spend the proceeds of these on the animals. It's always going to be 'lossmaking' but that is surely how a charity works?
Click to expand...

Believe me, donations do not even begin to cover the costs of running a rescue.
What do you mean by assets?
We only manage to run by doing without ourselves and sinking more than every spare penny into the sanctuary.
 
bunnymadhouse said:
yes ...

we pay £43 castrate
£53 spay

£25 vaccination

we charge £50 adoption fee .

so thats a loss straight away ...

then we worm all the buns when they arrive ...some need mite or flea treatments ..

because we take in a lot of strays we also have other vet bills ...for eg anitibiotics for bite , sctratch wounds ...eye drops for sore eyes etc

then theres food , bedding ,

then other expenses petrol for vet trips , homechecks , ink to print paperwork etc etc .
Click to expand...


you don't realise just how much rescues do until its written down infront of you! Do you mind me asking how you manage to keep open?
 
Georgeypudding said:
you don't realise just how much rescues do until its written down infront of you! Do you mind me asking how you manage to keep open?
Click to expand...

I've wondered this lots too. How can a few car boots etc keep these all your buns ? I only have one who requires constant vet care and the bills are ridiculous. I admire rescues so much.
 
halfpenny said:
Believe me, donations do not even begin to cover the costs of running a rescue.
What do you mean by assets?
We only manage to run by doing without ourselves and sinking more than every spare penny into the sanctuary.
Click to expand...

Sorry if I offended. Larger charities usually have assets at the bank and they can take interest/income from these rather than spending the capital. Of course, a home run rescue often won't have the chance to do this unless they are left a legacy.

I don't think any charity should make a 'profit'. It's OK to keep surplus funds for future projects but money should have plans, not just sit in the account of the charity or go to paying 'directors' excessive wages (a problem, I feel, certainly with the big big charities)
 
Kavanne said:
Sorry if I offended. Larger charities usually have assets at the bank and they can take interest/income from these rather than spending the capital. Of course, a home run rescue often won't have the chance to do this unless they are left a legacy.

I don't think any charity should make a 'profit'. It's OK to keep surplus funds for future projects but money should have plans, not just sit in the account of the charity or go to paying 'directors' excessive wages (a problem, I feel, certainly with the big big charities)
Click to expand...

But without out 'assets' and legacies, a rescue cannot survive beyond its original trustees. My dream for Halfpenny Farm is for it to become an individual entity, beyond Mike and I, but that will not happen until it either has regular supporters and manages to build up some sort of security to cover 'rainy days'. If Halfpenny Farm is to survive after us, it must also take in enough money to pay some staff. Most rescues will never reach this and only survive by supporting it with their own money.
I agree that larger rescues should put the money towards the animals rather than pay for 'managers', head offices and lots of advertising, but can understand a cushion being kept for when and if donations drop.
 
I can't really imagine how any of the rescues that use this forum could possibly be running at anything other than a loss unless they got a massive regular donation from somewhere.
 
Kavanne said:
Sorry if I offended. Larger charities usually have assets at the bank and they can take interest/income from these rather than spending the capital. Of course, a home run rescue often won't have the chance to do this unless they are left a legacy.

I don't think any charity should make a 'profit'. It's OK to keep surplus funds for future projects but money should have plans, not just sit in the account of the charity or go to paying 'directors' excessive wages (a problem, I feel, certainly with the big big charities)
Click to expand...

when I say profit I mean enough to cover the costs of the rabbit, and a little extra to go into the housing fund or the vets fund or whatever may be needed!
 
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