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Still waiting on my RSPCA homecheck...

larndridge

Young Bun
I reserved a lady bun to bond with my four year old Nethie at the RSPCA two weeks ago now, and I've still had no contact about a home visit. I called on Monday and asked why I still hadn't heard anything, and the lady at the centre said she'd contact the homechecker and get back to me. She hasn't.

It's not just that I'm impatient (although I am, she's gorgeous), but I tried to make it very clear at the centre that I've got a limited time frame: although the whole family takes care of the rabbits nobody else will go through the stress and upheaval of bonding them, setting up new accommodation etc. So I have a six week, now five week, gap where I'm at home all day to do it. If they fight to start with, that's not looking like a very big gap, and it's getting shorter and shorter as the RSPCA take their time to make one phone call and make a ten minute trip to my house! I know they're all volunteers but it's just so frustrating to know that I'm trying to give a bun a home inside and in the warm with a companion, and she's currently living outside in a hutch in the snow -.-

And on top of that my sister is coming to visit with her dog, which means I need to move Java into his new room without his new lady bun, which means the smells are going to be all wrong and I'm going to have to clean the whole room with vinegar where I wouldn't have if they'd contacted me any time in the last two weeks of me sitting at home by the phone waiting. Grr. So if anybody does home visits for Newbury RSPCA, or knows anybody that does, please let me know.

P.s. I've put this rant in Rabbit Chat because I wasn't sure where else it would go, sorry to the mods if it's the wrong place.
 
I didn't have to have one, I just showed them photos of the set up - i got my home check about 5 months after having them - I would go into the branch where your bunny is reserved, take photos of your set up with you and ask them there x
 
I didn't have to have one, I just showed them photos of the set up - i got my home check about 5 months after having them - I would go into the branch where your bunny is reserved, take photos of your set up with you and ask them there x

I only needed to email in photos of my set up when I adopted Java from a different RSPCA branch: I reserved him on the Saturday, emailed that afternoon, and picked him up on the Wednesday. It shouldn't be so hard! I'm trying to get through to them on the phone (again) now and find out what's going on/if they'll just settle for photos. I can't go over there because they keep the rabbits in a field in hutches and don't have staff there all day every day.
 
I've now spent all day so far talking to RSPCA people on the phone and might nearly have it sorted out. Having a bureaucratic nightmare trying to communicate: the home visitor isn't allowed to talk to the lady I'm talking to because it has to go via the branch, but the lady in branch isn't passing on any communications/getting them for some unknown reason even though the adoption centre have agreed that I can go and get her tomorrow in theory!

Last time I adopted from the RSPCA it was too easy: he was sick within eight weeks. Now the adoption is nightmareish, so in theory it should all be smooth sailing once I get her home? In theory...

Ugh, rabbits, who'd have 'em :)
 
Wow, we always try and do a home check within couple of days! I hope you get it sorted out.
 
Success! Having been on the phone since 10am I have finally managed to get everything into place and am going to pick up my lady bun tomorrow. Now I just have to hope they bond smoothly, but I suspect that dealing with rabbits is going to be easier than dealing with people this week :)
 
I didn't have to have one, I just showed them photos of the set up - i got my home check about 5 months after having them - I would go into the branch where your bunny is reserved, take photos of your set up with you and ask them there x

This concerns me! In theory then anyone could turn up with a pic they've saved from a google search?!!!

I was alarmed when I had my RSPCA homecheck as the lady didn't even look at my guinea pigs, just peered in from the door of the shed, but by then she had seen the dogs the tortoises and the rabbits so thought that perhaps she had just seen that THEY were well cared for!
 
This concerns me! In theory then anyone could turn up with a pic they've saved from a google search?!!!

I was alarmed when I had my RSPCA homecheck as the lady didn't even look at my guinea pigs, just peered in from the door of the shed, but by then she had seen the dogs the tortoises and the rabbits so thought that perhaps she had just seen that THEY were well cared for!

I agree with homechecking properly, but not if it takes so absurdly long and makes the process so difficult! But really, I don't think it would be to hard to tell from conversation with someone that they're rabbit mad and totally prepared or utterly hopeless, it's the well meaning but not prepared types that you have to look out for...although I suppose hoarders would lie about having proper set ups to get their hands on new animals... at least the RSPCA neuters all animals that come in.
 
:roll: this is probably the reason there are soo many bunnies in rescue, if the checks take that long people get bored of waiting and just go to a pet shop, so the circle starts again :(
 
I think there must be an issue with home checking at the moment as the branch I volunteer for have also had problems. The Chairwoman had to kick some a** to get any movement. We were waiting for potential foster homes to be homechecked, and also potential new owners. Thankfully it isn't usually like this.
 
Glad you are sorted and can go and get her today.

We had to wait over a week for ours to come out, after chasing them a number of times and she didn't really know anything about buns :roll:
 
A happy resolution this afternoon.

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Ohh the fund and games began a while ago. They look comfortable together so far! Very cute! Glad all was sorted and hope you don't need the whole 5 weeks to get them loved up and bonded! :love:
 
This concerns me! In theory then anyone could turn up with a pic they've saved from a google search?!!!

I was alarmed when I had my RSPCA homecheck as the lady didn't even look at my guinea pigs, just peered in from the door of the shed, but by then she had seen the dogs the tortoises and the rabbits so thought that perhaps she had just seen that THEY were well cared for!

That's the same with all the rescues I've known. The SSPCA in Inverness, you only need a piece of paper with proof of address :shock:
 
That's the same with all the rescues I've known. The SSPCA in Inverness, you only need a piece of paper with proof of address :shock:

That's not very responsible... :S The RSPCA seem to be really hit and miss; the lady that I've been dealing with at Oxfordshire has been great, really friendly, really organised, and very knowledgeable. It was the other branch that were incredibly difficult to deal with, not replying to phone calls or emails and just generally being obstructive. Perhaps it's just a bit too easy to get caught up in the power and the paperwork.

Neleh, they're intermittently cuddling and grooming and chasing. I was expecting Spice to be really docile from handling her alone but now they're together she's decided to be really energetic and assertive! Java doesn't seem to mind, although she keeps nipping his bum, so he's loosing a bit of fur (and dignity). I'm guessing from his running around and binkying that he can handle it :) But once she decides he smells like her I think they'll settle and be perfectly fine in no time - I just hope his patience doesn't run out :)
 
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